‘Save everyone, if you can’: Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh stadium receives chilling bomb threat

Pic: IPL/X

Just a day after Gujarat's Narendra Modi Stadium was the target of a bomb threat, the Rajasthan Sports Council received a similar menacing email on Thursday, warning of an imminent attack at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

According to a Lokmat Times report, the threatening message contained a chilling phrase, 'Save everyone, if you can', and referenced the ongoing geopolitical conflict by mentioning 'Operation Sindoor'. Acting swiftly, the Rajasthan Sports Council alerted senior authorities, prompting an immediate and large-scale security response. Security personnel evacuated the stadium, ensuring the safe removal of all players, staff, and officials present at the venue.

Specialised bomb disposal units, including a bomb squad and canine units, were deployed to conduct a comprehensive search of the premises. Fortunately, the search concluded without the discovery of any suspicious items or explosives.

The Sawai Mansingh Stadium is scheduled to host a high-profile IPL 2025 fixture between Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings on May 16. In light of the recent threat, all council-level sporting events have been postponed until further notice as a precautionary measure.

Rajasthan's Minister for Sports, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, addressed the situation via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating that he had reviewed the developments with top security officials. "The situation is completely under control. Security agencies are alert and working diligently at every level. Everyone is safe," he assured.

This incident follows a bomb threat received on Wednesday by the Gujarat Cricket Association. The threatening email, allegedly sent by an individual claiming to be based in Pakistan, ominously stated, 'We will blast your stadium', and was signed under the name 'Pakistan JK'.

Simultaneously, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) also received a similar threat during the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings at Eden Gardens. The email, discovered in CAB's official inbox while the match was in progress, led to an immediate alert being issued to law enforcement agencies. Security protocols at the stadium were quickly reinforced to safeguard players, officials, and spectators.

These threats coincide with heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following an attack on tourists in South Kashmir's Pahalgam. In the aftermath, both nations have engaged in cross-border hostilities in the disputed Jammu and Kashmir region, escalating fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.