Bengaluru's Visvesvaraya museum shut for 3 hours over hoax bomb threat email

Bengaluru: The Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, located in the heart of the city, on Friday received a bomb threat email, which was declared a “hoax” after a thorough check. 

The email was sent to the government-run museum's official ID around 4.40 am. It stated that a bomb was planted inside the museum and anyone inside would be killed. 

A staff member checked the email at 10 am and informed the police. Bomb, anti-sabotage and canine squads combed the place for two hours before declaring the threat a hoax. No suspicious material was found inside the museum. 

Visitors were prohibited from entering the museum during this time and were allowed back in only after 1.30 pm, a police officer close to the investigation said. 

Cubbon Park police have registered a case and are investigating the source of the email. 

Incidents in December 

In early December, 70 schools in Bengaluru and the outskirts received similar bomb threats by email with an identical text. These turned out to be a hoax. 

Two weeks later, a man from Kolar’s Mulbagil made a phone call to the National Investigation Agency's office in Domlur and claimed a bomb had been planted in the Raj Bhavan.