Noida, 17 Aug

People were evacuated from DLF Mall of India in Sector 18 here on Saturday following a bomb threat email with police later saying that nothing was found following anti-sabotage checks.

Additional Commissioner of Police (law and order) Shivhari Meena said searches were conducted at the mall following information of a bomb threat but nothing objectionable was found and the email appears to be a hoax.

However, the mall authorities, in a statement around 1.35 pm, said the "activity" was a security drill conducted in collaboration with Noida authorities. Several people at the mall were evacuated and move screenings were halted midway as security checks began.

A man said in a post on X that he was watching a movie at the mall when the audiences were asked to leave. "Whole Noida DLF mall is being evacuated, called as a mock drill," he posted on the social media platform.

In another post on the social media platform, he shared the image of a vehicle of the bomb disposal squad at the mall and wondered if it was "still a mock drill".

Later, ACP Meena said, "In view of the upcoming festivals, malls and crowded places at various locations in the Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissionerate are being checked continuously."

"Today, after receiving information via email, thorough security checks were carried out in the mall. No objectionable items were found, and the situation is normal. At first glance, the email appears to be a hoax," he said.

All senior officials and other teams are present at the scene, the officer said, adding the mall is operating normally.

In its statement, the DLF Mall of India said, "We are pleased to confirm that the mall is now open and fully operational." "The safety of our patrons is our utmost priority, and DLF is consistently dedicated to maintaining the highest security standards to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all," it added.

On 1 May this year, panic gripped multiple schools in Delhi NCR, including Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad, after they received emails about bombs being planted on their campuses. The threat, which had thrown police and security personnel into a tizzy, turned out to be a hoax.