GUWAHATI: The City Center Mall, the so-called largest mall in Northeast India, located in Guwahati's GS Road faced a very unexpected situation on Monday afternoon.
Although the exact cause of the commotion is yet to be ascertained, the mall management cited a technical issue as the reason behind this abrupt shutdown. A sign posted at the mall entrance reads: "FOR TECHNICAL ISSUE MALL WILL BE SHUT DOWN FOR 2 HOURS."
Security personnel are stationed at the site to bring the situation under control while the area has been cordoned off with traffic cones.
The authorities have announced a two-hour closure period so as to restore normalcy at the earliest.
Several people have speculated the presence of a bomb inside the premises of the mall. Preventive measures were immediately taken as all the people present inside the mall during that time were immediately evacuated with the assistance of the deployed security staff. Announcements were also made over PR systems regarding the same.
Teams from fire and emergency services, bomb squad, as well as sniffer dogs were called in along with police personnel to assist in the search operation.
The bomb threat instilled fear and caused panic among the shoppers and the employees working at the mall. The crowd was terrified so much so that they proceeded towards the exit and gathered at both the gates of the mall to make themselves feel safe.
This incident has disrupted traffic in GS Road and the adjoining areas, causing inconvenience to commuters.
Meanwhile, following a warning from the banned militant outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) about planted explosives in Guwahati, police embarked on an extensive search operation on Saturday night.
The insurgent group claimed to have placed explosives at 24 locations across Assam, including Guwahati, as a protest against Independence Day celebrations.
Citing public safety concerns, ULFA-I revealed the bomb sites and urged residents to help locate and deactivate the devices. In response, Guwahati police launched a massive search operation, focusing on key areas like Hatigaon, Khanapara, Sixmile, Lastgate, ABC, and Dispur. The searches, described as "war-like" by witnesses, continued until the early hours of Sunday morning.
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