Surat Passport Office Bomb Threat Hoax Triggers Statewide Panic Across Gujarat

A bomb threat email received by the Regional Passport Office Surat on Friday turned out to be a hoax, but a communication mix-up led to the alert being circulated across post offices in Gujarat, triggering panic and heightened security measures statewide.

Threat Email Warned of RDX Blast

According to police officials, the passport office received an email at approximately 5:55 am warning of an RDX explosion on the premises at 12:10 pm. The message reportedly advised immediate evacuation of the building.

Upon receiving the alert, officials informed the police. Teams from the Umra police station and the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad were rushed to the site to conduct a thorough search of the premises.

Assistant Commissioner of Police V R Malhotra said that after detailed inspection, no suspicious object or explosive material was found, confirming that the threat was false.

Email Forwarding Error Spread Panic

Deputy Superintendent of Police Divyaprakash Gohil said the email had been sent from an Outlook ID and was initially received only by the Surat Passport Office. However, due to a misunderstanding during internal communication, the alert was inadvertently forwarded to post offices across the state.

The passport office reportedly forwarded the email to the Surat Police Commissioner’s office, with the Navsari Division Post Office marked in copy. It remains unclear why the Navsari office was included in the communication.

From there, the Navsari Division Post Office forwarded the email to the Ahmedabad Post Office. The message was subsequently circulated to multiple post offices across Gujarat, including in Valsad, Godhra, Rajkot and Bhavnagar.

This chain of forwarding led to widespread alarm, prompting local police units in several districts to step up security checks at government buildings and postal facilities.

Security Measures Tightened

Authorities confirmed that while no explosive material was found at the Surat office or any other location, security was temporarily intensified in affected districts as a precautionary measure.

Police have initiated an investigation to trace the origin of the email and identify the sender. Cyber experts are examining digital footprints linked to the Outlook ID used to send the threat.

Officials urged the public not to panic and reiterated that the situation is under control. They also emphasised the need for cautious handling of sensitive security-related communications to prevent unnecessary alarm.

The incident highlights how misinformation or procedural lapses in digital communication can escalate into statewide panic, even when the original threat is baseless.