Chennai: The State Secretariat in Chennai received a bomb threat on Friday morning with an unknown person calling a private television channel claiming that a bomb was planted at the Secretariat, media reports said. The caller had abruptly ended the call. 

The bomb threat prompted swift deployment of a bomb disposal squad and security forces. According to sources, the television channel immediately alerted the police following which, sniffer dogs, bomb experts, and detection equipment were mobilised to thoroughly search the Secretariat premises. 

Extensive searches were conducted in all areas of the Secretariat, including ministerial rooms, officers' rooms, the assembly hall, and parking lots. Arrangements were made to ensure the safety of everyone present there. 

Investigations are underway into the bomb threat. This comes on a day when Chief Minister MK Stalin is celebrating his 71st birthday. 

In a similar incident, a bomb threat was issued to 13 private schools in Anna Nagar, Patrimuna, JJ Nagar, Gopalapuram and RA Puram in Chennai. 

Police had registered cases in this connection. All schools had received the threat message from the same email address. Police were examining the IP address of the computer and the email address. So far, no arrests have been made.