The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has alerted the Mumbai Police regarding a threatening email. The email contained threats to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and detonate an explosive at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, one of the venues for the ongoing Cricket World Cup.

According to reports, the email demanded a sum of Rs 500 crore in exchange for the safety of the Prime Minister and the stadium, along with the release of Lawrence Bishnoi, a notorious gangster currently incarcerated.

The email specifically warned that if the authorities failed to meet these demands, individuals associated with the threat would carry out attacks on the stadium.

Given this alarming situation, Mumbai Police has intensified security measures, especially as the city is set to host five Cricket World Cup matches at the Wankhede Stadium.

Lawrence Bishnoi is presently held in the Mandoli jail in Delhi. Authorities have revealed that the threatening email was traced back to Europe, and some media outlets have suggested that the email was sent through the Proton Mail platform. The email account was registered under the name 'Osama Bin Laden's hire,' and it is reported to have had multiple layers of security. Additionally, the domain associated with this email is located in Switzerland. Consequently, Indian authorities have initiated the process of seeking information from the Swiss government regarding this matter.

The email read, “Tumhari sarkar se hume 500 crore aur Lawrence bishnoi chahiye nahi to kal hum Narendra Modi ke sath Narendra Modi stadium bhi uda denge. Hindustan me sabkuch bikta hai to humne bhi kuch kharid liya hai kitna bhi secure karlo humse nahi bacha paoge agar baat karni hai to is mail par hi bat karna (We want Rs 500 crore and Lawrence Bishnoi from your government, otherwise tomorrow we will blow up Narendra Modi Stadium along with Narendra Modi. Everything sells in Hindustan, something is bought, no matter how safe it is. Do it, you won’t be able to save. If you want to talk, then talk on this mail only).”

Despite heightened security measures, authorities are considering the possibility that the threatening email may have been a hoax or a prank carried out by an individual residing in a foreign nation.

It is worth noting that on September 29, Gujarat Police initiated a First Information Report (FIR) against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Pannun had issued threats of carrying out an attack during the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup match between India and Pakistan. This highly anticipated match is scheduled to take place on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Pannun's motives were purportedly linked to seeking revenge for the killing of the deceased terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

The ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 commenced with the opening match between England and New Zealand, held on October 5 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. This marks the start of what promises to be an exciting and closely-watched tournament.

Image source: ANI