Overview

• A phone call received by the CISF centre in Chennai around midnight alerted authorities to a suspected bomb threat at the Sriharikota launch facility.
• Search teams scoured launch pads, the SHAR employees’ colony and adjacent coastline, including Pulicat Lake and Buckingham Canal areas.
• Senior district police officers led the operation with support from CISF bomb disposal, fire department and medical units.
• Officials confirmed the threat was a hoax hours after the extensive sweep, declaring normal launch preparations could resume.
• Last month’s mock drills had evaluated emergency response capabilities in view of India-Pakistan military tensions, underpinning the centre’s high-security posture.