TNR News Network
Shimla :- The Himachal Pradesh Police have traced a string of bomb threat emails back to users who attempted to hide their digital footprints using virtual private networks (VPNs).
The threats, which turned out to be hoax, had sparked a series of security operations across the state over the past two months.
Between April 16 and June 9, various government offices in Himachal Pradesh, including the Secretariat in Shimla, the Himachal Pradesh High Court and Deputy Commissioner offices in districts like Hamirpur, Mandi and Kullu, received alarming emails threatening bomb attacks.
Senders employed VPNs, proxy servers, dark web
Investigators have now confirmed that the senders employed VPNs, proxy servers and elements of the dark web to conceal their identities.
Despite the high alert, extensive searches conducted by security forces found no explosives or suspicious items. However, one IP address was found to originate from within the country, suggesting that not all digital trails led overseas.
The first major warning was received by the Mandi DC office on April 15, claiming explosives had been planted at multiple government locations.
The very next day, the Chief Secretary’s office was threatened with an attack on the Secretariat. Two more threatening messages followed on April 25.
Kullu’s district headquarters received a similar warning on May 2, followed by another ominous email targeting the Secretariat on May 26.
Similar threats received across country
Perhaps the most chilling message came on June 9, when a detailed email warned of a suicide bombing with an IED device aimed at the Himachal Pradesh High Court. Bomb threats were also issued to the DC offices in Chamba and Hamirpur around the same period.
This cyber investigation has also connected the modus operandi to similar threats received across India.
Educational institutions in the Delhi-NCR region and even national carriers have faced hoax bomb threats in recent months, with perpetrators reportedly using VPNs in nearly every case.
Authorities are continuing to track digital leads to identify the individuals responsible, and cyber forensic experts have been brought in to assist with the ongoing probe.
