Bomb Threat At Chandigarh's Elante Mall; Shoppers Evacuated, Search Underway

Chandigarh's Elante Mall was evacuated by police after they received a threat call claiming about a bomb planted in the mall's premises.

Image: ANI

New Delhi: Panic gripped Chandigarh’s Elante Mall and people were evacuated, after police received a threat call about a bomb allegedly planted in the mall’s premises. The informants contacted Chandigarh Police via an internet call and claimed that a bomb has been planted in the premises of Elante Mall. Police issued an alert immediately after receiving the call and deployed all the force including bomb squad team and other teams, inside the mall. Thousands of people who were present in the mall and nearby areas were informed about the possible threat and were asked to leave the premises. The search for explosives has been going on since three hours. Nilambari Jagadale, Chandigarh’s senior superintendent of police said that efforts are being made to trace the call. She also urged to people not to create panic as many people started rushing out of the premises leading to chaos for a while after mall authorities and police used loudspeakers to ask them to leave the shopping complex. Local police units, anti-sabotage check team along with bomb disposal squad were carrying out searches in the mall, which was teeming with people on account of Eid holiday, and also in adjoining buildings, Deputy Superintendent of Police (East) Dilsher Singh was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Besides the mall, the adjoining buildings too were being searched. Authorities have been on high alert across the country ahead of Independence Day and in view of developments related to Jammu and Kashmir.