Bomb Threat at Mumbai's Taj Hotel Declared Hoax After Security Sweep
A bomb threat targeting the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai prompted an extensive security operation early Sunday, which concluded that the threat was a hoax, police said.
The alert was triggered around 12:13 a.m. when an unidentified man called the Navi Mumbai Police Control Room claiming that explosives had been planted by fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. The call was immediately forwarded to the Mumbai Police Main Control Room.
Teams from Colaba Police, the Crime Branch, and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) were deployed to the hotel. They conducted thorough searches of the lobby, swimming pool, banquet halls, restaurants, parking areas, and outer premises. After an exhaustive inspection, no suspicious objects or explosives were found, confirming the threat as a hoax.
Technical investigations traced the call to the Turbhe area of Navi Mumbai. Police have identified the mobile number used and are working with Turbhe Police to arrest the caller.
The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel was one of the primary targets during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, in which 166 people were killed. The hotel has since been a symbol of resilience.
In a similar incident on Saturday, a call to the Mumbai Police Control Room claimed that Delhi’s Red Fort would be blown up. The information was relayed to Delhi Police, who conducted a security check and declared the threat a hoax.
Both incidents are under investigation, and authorities urge the public to remain vigilant but not panic.
