Amritsar, July 18: Punjab Police on Friday detained Shubham Dubey, a 24-year-old unemployed software engineer from Faridabad, in connection with threat emails sent to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), warning of bomb attacks on the Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple).
Dubey, who holds a BTech degree and has previously worked with two software companies, was picked up based on technical leads developed by central agencies and the state cybercrime cell, said Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar at a press conference.
“Dubey has been brought to Amritsar for interrogation. This is partial success—we are still waiting for key information from internet service providers. Only then can we confirm his exact role,” Bhullar said.
Between July 14 and 17, the SGPC received five bomb threat emails, triggering alarm across the state and prompting deployment of bomb squads and heightened security at the Golden Temple complex.
Interestingly, police said the email content references Tamil Nadu, including mentions of the DMK and girl students of Anna University, raising questions about possible links or misleading clues planted by the sender.
“We’re investigating whether Dubey is directly responsible or part of a larger group. The Tamil Nadu references in the emails are significant and are being analysed closely,” Bhullar added.
The SGPC had earlier criticised police inaction, with president Harjinder Singh Dhami expressing frustration over the delay in tracing the origin of the threats.
Following the threats, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann issued a statement urging the public to remain calm but vigilant. “Our security agencies are on high alert. We will not allow any compromise on the safety of our sacred religious places. Anti-national elements will face the strictest action,” Mann posted on X.
Police said investigations are ongoing and more details will emerge once technical data from service providers is received and analysed.
Read more: Sri Harmandir Sahib Bomb Threat: SGPC Receives Third Email in 3 Days
