(MENAFN- IANS) Chennai, Oct 9 (IANS) Weeks after the tragic Karur stampede that claimed 41 lives during a party event, a bomb threat was received at the residence of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday. However, after hours of search, police have confirmed that the threat was a hoax and have begun an investigation to trace the caller.

According to senior police officials, an anonymous message warned of explosives at Vijay's home.

Swiftly responding, bomb disposal squads and local police conducted an extensive search and confirmed the threat was false.

“We are treating this seriously and tracing the origin of the call,” an officer said.

The incident comes amid a wave of hoax bomb threats that have plagued Chennai in recent months.

Emails warning of explosives at public places, government offices, and the homes of prominent politicians and film personalities have turned into a daily menace.

At least nine such threats were reported over three consecutive days last week, keeping police on constant alert.

Officials said that despite over 60 First Information Reports (FIRs) being registered since 2023, no arrests have been made so far.

In many instances, multiple threats received on the same day have been clubbed together into a single case.

Sources in the cybercrime wing said the culprits' use of virtual private networks (VPNs) and privacy browsers to mask their real locations has made tracking them extremely difficult.

“Almost all senders use layered VPNs, and by the time we trace them, we hit fake IP addresses. Limited cooperation from foreign law enforcement, particularly in the U.S. where most VPN servers are located, adds to the challenge,” a senior officer explained.

While these are cybercrime offences, the cases are routinely transferred to the state police's anti-terrorism squad since they involve bomb threats.

A recurring pattern has emerged where emails sent in the name of celebrities or politicians are received by the DGP's office, warning of bombs planted at prominent locations.

High-profile targets have included the residences of the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, Raj Bhavan, the State Secretariat, BJP headquarters, and several temples.

In each instance, bomb squads have conducted thorough checks before confirming the threats as hoaxes - a task that has become increasingly taxing amid a surge in false alarms.

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