Bomb Threat at Himachal Secretariat Triggers High Alert

Shimla, April 18: Panic spread through the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat in Shimla late Wednesday night after a suspicious email threatening a bomb blast was received at the Chief Secretary’s office. The alert has prompted swift action from law enforcement agencies, with the Cyber Crime Branch launching an investigation and special commandos deployed from the Police Headquarters to assist.

According to officials, the threatening email was received at around 1:30 AM, warning of an imminent explosion targeting the secretariat complex. A similar message was earlier sent to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Mandi, raising concerns that both incidents may be connected.

Cyber Cell on High Alert, Secretariat Sanitized

Following the threat, the entire Secretariat complex was evacuated overnight, and a comprehensive search operation was conducted using bomb disposal and dog squads. No explosive material was found, but security in the area has been significantly increased.

The Cyber Cell of Shimla Police has started a technical investigation to trace the origin of the email. Experts are analyzing the language, tone, and digital footprint of the message. The Police Headquarters has deployed cyber commandos to aid in the probe, ensuring no leads are missed.

Possible Tamil Nadu Connection Under Scanner

Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena confirmed that both threat emails — to Shimla and Mandi — have a similar writing style, suggesting they could be the work of the same person or group. Interestingly, the emails also reference a possible connection to an incident in Tamil Nadu, which is now being examined for links.

Enhanced Security Measures in Place

In response to the threat:

• Additional police forces have been deployed at all secretariat gates.

• Thorough screening of all individuals entering or exiting the premises is underway.

• CCTV surveillance has been intensified.

• The entire building has undergone sanitization and security checks.

A similar security drill was executed at the Mandi DC office, where bomb squads conducted searches after a comparable threat was received earlier this week.

 Authorities continue to investigate the source of the threat, with full efforts underway to trace and apprehend the culprits. Meanwhile, normal functioning at the Secretariat has resumed under tight security.