Police launch probe after hoax mail threatens blasts across Kerala

A probe has been launched after a hoax email claiming that blasts would take place at collectorates and courts across Kerala was received by a District Collector in Rajasthan, the police said on Saturday.

Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police registered a case on Friday and began an investigation into the incident.

According to the police, the email was received on May 6 in the official email ID of the District Collector of Bikaner.

The police said the email, written in Hindi, claimed that explosions would occur at courts and collectorates across Kerala.

The Rajasthan Police subsequently alerted Kerala Police, following which security checks were conducted at various locations in the State.

The threat was later confirmed to be a hoax, the police said.

Based on directions from the police headquarters, the Cyber Police registered a case and launched an investigation to identify the person behind the email.

Police officials said the email was suspected to have been generated using a dark web platform and further investigation was under way.

The case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act and the Kerala Police Act, the police added.