A bomb threat email warning of an RDX explosion at the Regional Passport Office in Surat triggered widespread panic across Gujarat after it was mistakenly circulated to post offices throughout the state, although authorities later confirmed the threat to be a hoax. Police said the email was received by the Surat Passport Office at around 5.55 am on Friday, claiming that a blast would occur on the premises at 12.10 pm and urging immediate evacuation.
Following the alert, personnel from the Umra police station along with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad rushed to the location and conducted a thorough search of the premises. After detailed checks, officials found no suspicious objects or explosives, confirming that the threat was false. According to police officials, the email had been sent from an Outlook account and was initially received only by the Surat Passport Office.
The situation escalated due to a communication error that led to the message being widely circulated. Officials explained that the Surat Regional Passport Office forwarded the email to the Surat Police Commissioner’s office while marking the Navsari Division Post Office in copy, though the reason for including the postal office remains unclear. The Navsari office subsequently forwarded the message to the Ahmedabad Post Office, from where it was further circulated to post offices across multiple districts, including Valsad, Godhra, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.
As the message spread across the postal network, local authorities in several districts were alerted, prompting heightened security measures and creating anxiety among staff and the public. Police later clarified that the threat was baseless and resulted from a misunderstanding amplified by the unintended mass forwarding of the email. Investigations are ongoing to identify the sender and determine the circumstances behind the hoax message.
