Bomb threat to Kerala Secretariat causes anxious moments

Bomb scare at Kerala Govt Secretariat prompts police to scan building & vehicles. Police cordoned off Secretariat & increased CM's security. Anonymous caller conveyed threat to Police Control Room. Police suspect call originated from Pozhiyoor. Recently, threat to assassinate CM traced to Class 7 student in Ernakulam. Police registered case under Kerala Police Act.

A bomb scare caused some anxious moments at the Kerala Government Secretariat on November 9, 2023l.

It prompted the Kerala Police’s bomb detection and disposal squad to scan the building and its precincts with electronic detectors and sniffer dogs. It also searched vehicles parked outside the premises for hidden explosives.

The police threw a tight security cordon around the Secretariat and severely limited visitors. They also upped Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s security.

The police said the anonymous caller had conveyed the threat to the Police Control Room number 112 at around 11.10 a.m.

They said prima facie, the threat did not seem credible, but it was too early to term it a hoax. The police saw little reason to evacuate the Secretariat.

The police have launched an investigation to trace the caller. They suspect that the call originated from Pozhiyoor, a coastal locality on the outskirts of the capital city.

Recently, the police control room received a threat to assassinate Mr. Vijayan. The police traced the call to the family of a Class 7 student in Ernakulam.