Bomb threat to Gujarat assembly during budget session turns out to be hoax

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat assembly complex received a bomb threat via email on Wednesday morning during the ongoing budget session, but it turned out to be a hoax after a thorough check of the premises, police said.

The threat was received on the official email ID of the assembly just minutes before the House proceedings were scheduled to begin during the ongoing budget session, officials said.

The email claimed a bomb had been planted in the assembly complex, following which all staff and MLAs were asked to vacate the premises, Deputy Superintendent of Police Piyush Vanda said.

While the House was supposed to start at 9 am as part of the ongoing budget session, the officials got to know about the threat at 8.45 am, he said.

"Upon learning about the bomb threat, which was received via an email, local police reached the premises and started the search for explosives," Vanda said.

All the MLAs left the premises as a precautionary measure.

After an hour, Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ravi Teja Vasamsetty declared that nothing suspicious was found.

"The assembly received a bomb threat email in the morning. Our Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad checked the premises thoroughly, but nothing suspicious was found. Thus, the assembly resumed its work. A case will be filed against the person who sent the email," the SP said.The House proceedings began after an hour's delay.

After the Question Hour, Speaker Shankar Chaudhary informed the House members that nothing suspicious was found during checking.

"An official of the assembly received the threat email in the morning, following which the premises were thoroughly checked by police upon my request. Nothing suspicious was found during the exercise," Chaudhary said in the assembly.

Legislators urged the government to take strict action against those involved in sending such emails.

"It appears that some elements want to dilute the peaceful atmosphere of Gujarat. They sent such threat emails to schools, courts in the past and now to the assembly. The state government has taken this threat seriously," BJP MLA Mahesh Kaswala told reporters.

Congress MLA Imran Khedawala also demanded strict action against those sending such frequent emails.

"In the recent past, schools and courts in Ahmedabad received such threats, and now, the assembly too was targeted. Such incidents are happening at regular intervals. Government should take strict actions against perpetrators," Khedawala said.