A wave of panic swept through Gurugram and Noida on Saturday as two prominent malls received bomb threat emails. The Ambience Mall in Gurugram was immediately evacuated following the threat, prompting the deployment of bomb squad and fire brigade teams to the scene. Police confirmed receiving a bomb threat email at 9.27 am, triggering a swift response.
The email, sent from the address hiddenbones101@gmail.com, contained a chilling message. It stated: “I planted bombs in the building. Every person inside the building will be killed, none of you will escape. You deserve death. I planted the bombs in the building because I hate my life. The people behind this attack are Paige and Nora.”
A comprehensive search operation was initiated at the Ambience Mall, with bomb and dog squad teams meticulously combing the premises. Meanwhile, the Gurugram district administration received a similar bomb threat email around 10 am, targeting all malls in the city. This prompted the district administration to launch extensive search operations across multiple malls. Police, dog squads, and civil defence teams were actively involved in the search efforts.
In a statement, Gurugram Police urged the public to remain calm and avoid unnecessary panic.
However, a different scenario unfolded at the DLF Mall in Noida. The Hindustan Times reported that the bomb threat received there was, in fact, a simulated security drill. Manish Mishra, additional deputy commissioner of police, confirmed that there was no actual threat and that a two-and-a-half-hour security drill was conducted at the DLF Mall of India, beginning at 11 am.
While the security drill at the DLF Mall was pre-planned and a controlled exercise, the bomb threat at Ambience Mall caused significant disruption and heightened security concerns. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that exist in our public spaces and underscores the importance of preparedness and swift response mechanisms in dealing with such threats.
