Techie from Faridabad arrested for sending bomb threats to Golden Temple in Amritsar
The accused -- Shubam Dubey, 24, has been detained for questioning in connection with the first threatening e-mail sent to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) on 14 July.
A software engineer based in Haryana's Faridabad was on Friday taken into custody in connection with five bomb threats to the Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar, a revered shrine of Sikhs, through emails, police said.
The accused -- Shubam Dubey, 24, has been detained for questioning in connection with the first threatening e-mail sent to the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) on 14 July.
About the accused
Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, speaking at a press conference, said Dubey's laptop and phone have been seized. He noted that Dubey holds a BTech degree and has worked with several companies. The commissioner also clarified that Dubey has no previous criminal record.
According to Bhullar, Dubey was located with assistance from the Punjab Police's cybercrime unit and central intelligence agencies. However, he has not been formally arrested.
More developments in case coming: Police
Describing the detention as a partial breakthrough, Bhullar said the investigation is ongoing and further developments are expected in the coming days.
In response to the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday urged the public not to fall prey to rumours and reaffirmed his government’s commitment to state security. He held a meeting in Chandigarh with senior police officials, including Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, following the threat e-mails.
On Wednesday, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami revealed that the apex gurdwara body had received five threatening e-mails since 14 July, warning of an attack on the Golden Temple. Dhami questioned whether the threats were the work of a disturbed individual or part of a broader conspiracy. He also raised concerns that such threats could be intended to spread fear among the devotees who visit the shrine.
Reacting to the situation, Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, said the threats were alarming for the Sikh community and all peace-loving citizens of Punjab. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal also called the threatening e-mails a matter of grave concern.
With inputs from PTI