New York's Times Square evacuated after bomb scare

Thousands of tourists, residents and theatre-goers were evacuated by police from the heart of Times Square on Sunday on suspicion that a parked vehicle contained a bomb. Police closed down a section of Times Square around 6:30 pm local time Saturday evening (4:00 am IST Sunday) after receiving reports about smoke coming out of a car parked in the crowded area

A suspicious package containing explosives was reported to be found in the car. A bomb squad was sent to the scene but the package did not explode. However, authorities have not confirmed whether there was a bomb in the car. Traffic was also stopped and redirected to the surrounding area.

A federal official was quoted as saying by 'The New York Times' that the incident was not considered a terrorist threat. Security is always on high-alert around Times Square, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

In December, a bomb scare led the city's explosives detonation squad to investigate an unmarked white van, which was parked in the area causing the New York Police Department to cordon off a large area. After two hours, the police department called it safe.