Chennai, Oct 17 : The Chennai Police on Friday received a bomb threat targeting the residence of Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan in the city, which subsequently turned out to be a hoax.

The Estate Police Station in the city received an email claiming that a bomb had been planted at the Vice President's residence in the Mylapore area.

Senior police officials, along with the sniffer dog squad and bomb detection experts, immediately mobilised in response to the high-security alert.

Police sources confirmed that C. P. Radhakrishnan, who assumed the office of Vice President in September this year, had vacated the Mylapore property over a year ago.

He is currently residing in a rented apartment in the high-profile Poes Garden area in Chennai.

Following the protocols for VIP security threats, the security teams proceeded to the Poes Garden residence. However, the premises were found locked upon arrival, preventing the bomb experts from conducting a physical search inside the apartment.

After a preliminary inspection of the area and its surroundings, the police suspected that the threat was likely a hoax.

Authorities are now investigating the origin of the bomb threat email, which is the latest in a series of similar hoax threats aimed at high-profile individuals and establishments in Chennai.

More than 150 schools across Delhi and Bengaluru received hoax bomb threat emails since July this year, triggering mass evacuations and widespread panic among students and parents.

Several hospitals in the two cities were also targeted in separate incidents.

Police said the threats began on July 18, when over 100 schools - including several private institutions in both cities - received identical emails warning of explosives planted on their premises. Bomb disposal squads and dog units were deployed, and classes were suspended in many places. However, no explosives were found.

According to officials, Delhi alone has recorded over 150 such email threats this year, while Bengaluru reported at least 25 between July and August. Most of the messages were traced to servers located outside India and sent through encrypted email services.

The Ministry of Home Affairs directed cybercrime units to strengthen coordination and identify those responsible. Officials said several suspects, including minors, are under investigation.

/IANS