Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar received emails on March 2, warning them of “more bomb blasts” in the State.
This comes close on the heels of the low-intensity blast at The Rameshwaram Cafe in Brookfield in east Bengaluru on March 1, which left nine injured. Home Minister G. Parameshwara and Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda too got similar emails on Saturday.
Following the threatening emails, the cybercrime police stepped up investigation and registered a suo motu case. Efforts are on to track down the source of the mail.
The emails warned of attacks at public places and public transport, including the KSRTC’s line of premier buses. The sender also demanded $2.5 million for not carrying out the attacks.
The sender stated that they would raise their demands on social media and tweet the information about the next attack. “The police have stepped up vigil at public places even though the mail looks like a hoax,” said an official.
Based on the complaint by Subharao, a police officer from the Cyber Crime Police Station, the cybercrime police on Monday registered an FIR charging the unknown accused under Section 66F (commits or conspires to commit cyber terrorism) of the Information Technology Act, and under Sections 506 ( criminal intimidation) and 507 ( criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code.
