Bengaluru Hit By Hoax Bomb Threats: KIA And MNC Broadcom Targeted In 24 Hours

Hoax bomb threats targeted Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and a multinational company in Bengaluru within a span of 24 hours, police reported on Wednesday.

The first incident occurred on Tuesday around 1 pm when Broadcom, an American MNC, received an email containing a hoax bomb threat. The company promptly informed the police, leading to the evacuation of its office staff. After a thorough search by a sniffer dog squad, the threat was confirmed to be a hoax. The Puttenahalli police have registered a case and are currently investigating the matter.

A police officer involved in the case revealed that the initial investigation indicated the suspect used a virtual private network (VPN) to conceal their identity. "Expert verification confirmed it was a hoax," the officer added.

The second case involved a bomb threat call received by KIA on Monday evening from a man claiming to be in Hyderabad. However, the caller soon phoned again to apologize, admitting that the threat was fake.

"Around 6:30 pm on Monday, the airport's reception desk received a call stating that bombs had been placed at both Chennai and Bengaluru airports. Minutes later, the same individual called back, apologizing for the threat and attributing his actions to being under the influence of alcohol," a police officer explained. The incident is under investigation, and a team has been dispatched to Hyderabad to apprehend the caller.

In a related event in March, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, along with ministers and senior officials, received a bomb threat email demanding a ransom of $2.5 million, approximately Rs 20 crore.