Threat to blow up Shirdi’s Shri Saibaba Temple with a pipe bomb

Sai Sansthan receives a threatening e-mail from an unknown source

Shirdi (Maharashtra) – The Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple in Shirdi, a revered pilgrimage site for lakhs of devotees, has received an e-mail threat stating that the temple would be blown up using a pipe bomb. The threat was sent via e-mail on the morning of 3rd May by an unidentified individual. Authorities are currently tracing the identity and source location of the sender. Both the Shirdi Sansthan and the Shirdi Police have declined to provide further details at this time. In response, Police Sub-Inspector Rohidas Mali, head of temple security, has filed a formal complaint at the Shirdi Police Station. This threat has caused an environment of fear among devotees.

Security around the Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple premises has been significantly tightened. Interestingly, similar threatening emails have been received by the Sai Sansthan in the past, and investigations later revealed them to be hoaxes. Recently, Union Minister of Jal Shakti, C.R. Patil, visited the Saibaba Samadhi. During his visit, he made a pointed remark about how any terrorist threat would be addressed, saying, ‘Now just watch the action’. The threat email arrived just hours after his visit.