Delhi Police declared a bomb threat at Red Fort a hoax after an extensive security search on Saturday. The threat, received through Mumbai Police, prompted a major security operation as authorities launched an investigation to identify the caller behind the false alarm.
A bomb threat targeting Delhi’s iconic Red Fort triggered a large-scale security operation on Saturday before authorities declared it a hoax following an extensive search of the historic monument. The incident prompted swift action from Delhi Police, bomb disposal squads, and other security agencies, highlighting the heightened vigilance surrounding one of the country’s most significant heritage sites.
According to Delhi Police, the threat surfaced after the Mumbai Police Control Room received a phone call from an unidentified individual claiming that the Red Fort would be blown up. Recognising the seriousness of the information, Mumbai Police immediately alerted the Delhi Police Control Room, which in turn informed the North District Police to initiate emergency security measures.
Within minutes of receiving the alert, teams of police personnel, bomb disposal experts, dog squads, and other security officials rushed to the Red Fort. Authorities cordoned off the area and launched a comprehensive sanitisation exercise, carefully inspecting the monument and its surrounding premises for any suspicious object or explosive material.
Following an exhaustive search operation that lasted several hours, officials confirmed that no explosives or suspicious items were found anywhere within the Red Fort complex. The bomb threat was subsequently declared a hoax, allowing normal security operations to resume.
Police officials said an investigation has been launched to identify the person responsible for making the false threat. Authorities are examining technical evidence and coordinating with Mumbai Police to trace the origin of the phone call. Legal action is expected against those found involved in spreading the false alarm, as such acts not only create panic but also divert critical security resources.
The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened security concerns in the national capital following several recent terror-related investigations. Earlier this year, a high-intensity vehicle-borne Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast near the Red Fort Metro Station resulted in multiple fatalities and left more than a dozen people injured. Investigators later identified the driver of the explosive-laden Hyundai i20 as Umar-un-Nabi, a Kashmiri doctor employed at Al-Falah University in Faridabad.
That explosion coincided with the recovery of nearly 2,900 kilograms of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, from a site in Faridabad, Haryana, approximately 50 kilometres from Delhi. Investigators suspected the explosion was carried out after two alleged associates, Dr. Muzammil Shakeel and Dr. Adil Rather, were arrested and the explosives cache was seized by security agencies.
In another major counter-terror operation conducted in May, the Delhi Police Special Cell arrested nine men allegedly linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. According to investigators, the accused were allegedly planning coordinated attacks on key installations, including airports, railway stations, power plants, nuclear facilities, and security personnel.
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Saturday’s hoax bomb threat once again demonstrated the preparedness of law enforcement agencies to respond rapidly to potential security risks. While the Red Fort was declared safe after the exhaustive inspection, authorities have reiterated that every threat is treated with utmost seriousness to ensure public safety and national security. The investigation into the false bomb threat remains ongoing.
