Bomb threat call to ISRO’s Sriharikota centre triggers massive search operation; turns out to be hoax

Tirupati: A bomb threat call targeting the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR) at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati district triggered a high-level security response late Sunday night. The call, which turned out to be a hoax, prompted an extensive search operation by multiple security agencies.

The threat was reportedly received around midnight at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) centre in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Following this, security personnel at the Sriharikota spaceport and Tirupati district police were placed on high alert.

Search operations were immediately launched in and around the ISRO facility, with CISF and police teams combing the premises and nearby areas. The Indian Coast Guard also conducted parallel checks along the adjoining coastline.

A search was carried out at the SHAR employees' residential colony as well. Senior police officials from the district oversaw the operation.

Authorities later confirmed that the bomb threat call was a hoax.

SDSC SHAR is one of the lead centres of the ISRO. It provides world-class launch base infrastructure for national and international customers in accomplishing diverse launch vehicle/satellite missions for remote sensing, communication, navigation & scientific purposes and is one among the best known names of the Spaceports of the world today, according to information on ISRO’s rocket-launching facility.

This spindle-shaped island, situated in the backwater Pulicat Lake and sandwiched between Buckingham Canal on the West and the Bay of Bengal on the East, was chosen in 1969 to set up the country's rocket launch station. It became operational in 1971. Sriharikota covers an area of about 175 square km with a coastline of 50 km.

Last month, mock drills were carried out at SHAR in view of the India-Pakistan military conflict.

Officials said the exercise was aimed at evaluating the preparedness, coordination, and response time of security forces in the event of a potential threat.

Various security and emergency units, such as the CISF Quick Response Team, CISF Bomb Disposal Team, CISF Fire Department, and medical staff, participated in the drill. IANS