A morning scare unfolded at the Chennai headquarters of The Hindu on Anna Salai after a chilling email claimed three RDX improvised explosive devices (IEDs) had been planted within the building. However, following an extensive search operation on Monday, October 6, 2025, the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) definitively declared the threat to be a hoax, bringing relief to staff and authorities.
The alarming email, dispatched at 8:45 a.m., was sent to both the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police and The Hindu’s Readers Editor. It reportedly originated from an individual identifying as “Fayaz Pandian Pak ISI- Coimbatore Wing.” The subject line itself was designed to cause panic: “From The River to The Sea: 3 RDX IEDs Planted in Kasturi Building. 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai. Evac Before Blasts!”
Adding to the fabricated narrative, the email made unsubstantiated claims about Bangladesh-based agencies operating clandestinely in Chennai and Tiruvallur, supposedly mingling with North Indian workers, and reiterated the false assertion that explosives were present at the newspaper’s office.