NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Austin, TX, August 16, 2026: A software engineer working in Austin, Texas, has been arrested in India after investigators accused him of orchestrating an extraordinary campaign of more than 1,500 hoax bomb-threat emails that targeted airports, educational institutions, government offices and prominent individuals across the country.
The accused, identified in multiple reports as Sharath Subramanian Shankar — with some outlets spelling his first name Sarath — was detained at Chennai International Airport on July 22 after arriving in India and was subsequently taken into custody by the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad.
Shankar, who is from Ambasamudram in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district, was employed by a software company in Austin, Texas, according to South First and DT Next. His U.S. employer has not been publicly identified in the reports reviewed by NRI Pulse.
Authorities allege that Shankar was behind a sprawling series of bomb-threat emails sent between 2023 and 2025. South First reported that more than 100 criminal cases have been registered against him in Tamil Nadu in connection with the threats.
The alleged targets included airports, commercial flights, schools and colleges, Anna University, government offices, politicians, senior police officers and retired intelligence officials. Each threat could force authorities to mobilize police and bomb detection and disposal squads, conduct searches and implement heightened security measures. The threats attributed to Shankar were ultimately determined to be hoaxes, according to the reports.
In Chennai alone, more than 300 hoax threats were reported within the city police jurisdiction during 2025. Investigators said many of the threatening communications were sent using tools designed to conceal the sender’s identity, including the Tor browser and virtual private networks.
The Digital Slip-Up
Despite the sophisticated methods allegedly used to hide his identity, investigators say a relatively simple mistake helped unravel the case.
According to South First, police allege that Shankar used encrypted communication services, VPNs, the dark web and overseas servers to conceal his identity. Investigators with the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing reportedly made a breakthrough when he accidentally responded using his personal email account, leaving a trail that could be connected to him.
Authorities then reportedly monitored his activities for nearly six months and issued a Look Out Circular, an alert used by Indian authorities to flag individuals at immigration checkpoints. When Shankar arrived in Chennai, immigration officials detained him and turned him over to Tamil Nadu authorities.
The possible motive remains under investigation. South First, citing a source familiar with the investigation, reported that Shankar allegedly told investigators he sent the threats to test his ability to evade detection.
Following his arrest, Shankar was remanded to judicial custody. On July 28, a George Town court granted investigators six days of police custody for further questioning, according to United News of India.
The investigation may also extend beyond Tamil Nadu. The Times of India reported on July 29 that the Mumbai Crime Branch was expected to seek Shankar’s custody in connection with hoax bomb-threat cases registered in Mumbai between 2024 and 2026.
