COIMBATORE: A series of coordinated bomb threat emails targeting passport and head post offices in western districts triggered widespread panic on Monday.

Multiple teams of police and bomb squad sleuths who were on their toes since morning confirmed the threats to be a hoax after carrying out intensive checks at regional passport offices in Coimbatore, Coonoor, Salem and post offices in Erode and Tirupur.

Armed with metal detectors, the bomb detection and disposal squads rushed to the Regional Passport Office on Avinashi Road and passport seva kendra in Peelamedu in Coimbatore. After an exhaustive check, the sleuths declared the threat to be a rumour.

Similarly, operations unfolded in Coonoor, where the passport office is functioning within the head post office premises. In Salem too, the head post office near Old Bus Stand, which houses a passport office, was searched for nearly half an hour by deploying sniffer dog Ruby. No suspicious objects were found.

In Erode and Tirupur, the police evacuated staff and the public from post office premises, before combing through parcels to confirm the threats to be hoaxes. Police suspect that the emails may be linked to recent hoax threats sent to government offices in the region. The cyber crime sleuths have launched an investigation to track down the sender of the threatening emails. Normalcy was restored at all locations after extensive checks.