Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, along with several cabinet ministers, received a bomb threat via email. The threat, sent by a person named Shahid Khan using the email address Shahidkhan10786@protonmail.com, stated that an explosion would occur in Bengaluru at 2:48 pm on Saturday if a ransom of $2.5 million dollars (approximately ₹20 crore) was not provided. The email threatened to cause large explosions in busy places such as restaurants, temples, buses, trains, and public areas throughout Karnataka.
The email further mentioned that a trailer of the planned explosions would be demonstrated with an explosion in the Ambari Utsav bus, and the group would raise its demands on social media, uploading screenshots of the email. A case has been registered, and an investigation is underway.
This incident follows an improvised explosive device (IED) blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru on March 1, which resulted in at least 10 injuries. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into the explosion, examining all possible angles, including the involvement of IS cadres. The Bengaluru Police registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosives Substances Act in connection with the cafe explosion.
