Kerala police have arrested a US-based Tamil Nadu technology professional for allegedly sending more than 200 fake bomb threats to government institutions, courts, airports, hotels and religious sites across the state since 2023, exposing how repeated digital alerts disrupted the functioning of public institutions.
The accused, identified as Sharath Subramanyam, was arrested by Tamil Nadu police at Chennai airport in July 2026 in connection with allegations that he sent more than 1,500 hoax bomb threats across India. A team from Thiruvananthapuram city cybercrime police brought him to the state capital on a production warrant and arrested him on Saturday, city police commissioner Arul R B Krishna said, according to the Times of India.
Police said Subramanyam had worked in the information technology sector for 12 years and was involved in research related to artificial intelligence. He allegedly used AI to send the threats and followed their impact through local news reports.
Around 40 of the alleged threats targeted establishments within Thiruvananthapuram city limits. The locations named by police included Thiruvananthapuram airport, the chief minister’s official residence at Cliff House, the governor’s residence at Lok Bhavan, the Secretariat, the district court, the collectorate and five-star hotels. An email also allegedly claimed that explosives, including RDX, had been planted at the German consulate in the city.
The threats affected the functioning of courts and other public offices. Police said court complexes, including the Thiruvananthapuram district court, received threats on six occasions, disrupting court proceedings. The case illustrates the operational burden created when authorities must treat digital threats as potential emergencies, even when the messages ultimately prove to be false.
On March 18, 2025, a threat claiming that explosives had been planted at the Thiruvananthapuram district collectorate led officials to evacuate the building. During a subsequent inspection by the bomb squad, a disturbed beehive caused several people, including senior officials, to be stung. Some of those affected sought treatment at Peroorkada district model hospital and Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
Religious institutions were also allegedly targeted. Police said the accused accessed the websites of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple and Attukal Bhagavathy Temple to obtain email addresses and send threats. The messages disrupted devotees’ access to the shrines, according to the report.
The state police chief and the transport commissionerate were among the other alleged targets. Police have linked the Thiruvananthapuram allegations to the wider investigation into more than 1,500 hoax threats allegedly sent across India. The case will now proceed through the relevant court process following the arrest and production of the accused before authorities in Kerala.
