Kochi: Tension gripped parts of Kochi on Thursday after bomb threat messages were received at two branches of City Union Bank, prompting swift security action by the police. The threatening message, sent in the name of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation, warned of explosions by noon.
The threat was received in the morning at the bank’s Pallimukku branch in Ernakulam and the Mamangalam branch in Edappally. The message claimed that ammonium nitrate had been planted at multiple locations inside the banks and would detonate later in the day.
Following the alert, police, bomb disposal squads, and sniffer dog teams conducted detailed inspections at both premises. No suspicious materials were found, and authorities have concluded that the threat was a hoax.
Police officials said such fake bomb threats targeting sensitive and public institutions—including the High Court, the Legislative Assembly, and schools—have become increasingly frequent, posing a serious challenge to law enforcement and causing unnecessary public anxiety.
