A fresh wave of bomb threats targeting schools in Delhi has left authorities on high alert, as five more institutions reported emailed threats on Wednesday morning. This brings the number of educational institutions targeted over the past three days to ten. All threats have so far turned out to be hoaxes.
The latest warnings were sent to schools located in Dwarka, Vasant Kunj, Paschim Vihar and Hauz Khas between 5:26 am and 8:12 am. Bomb disposal squads, cyber teams and local police were deployed at each location. No suspicious object was recovered following detailed searches.
Two of the schools, St. Thomas in Dwarka and Vasant Valley School in Vasant Kunj, had previously received similar threats. Both institutions had to be evacuated last week in response to those alerts.
Police said the threats were sent via email and appeared to follow a pattern of psychological disruption aimed at school authorities, students and parents. Authorities are treating the threats seriously, although none have materialised into actual incidents.
A senior police official stated that cyber teams were working to identify the origin of the emails. Investigators suspect the emails may have been routed through foreign servers to obscure digital trails.
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On Tuesday, St. Stephen’s College and St. Thomas School were targeted. “The mail claimed that four IEDs and two RDX bombs had been planted on the premises and in the library of the college. It further claimed they would explode by 2 pm,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia.
Following the alert, teams from Maurice Nagar Police Station, assisted by bomb squads and canine units, cordoned off the area and initiated a floor-to-ceiling search of the St. Stephen’s College premises. No explosives were found, and the threat was subsequently declared a hoax.
Monday saw three other schools receive similar threats. These included two CRPF-run schools in Dwarka’s Sector 16 and Prashant Vihar, and the Navy Children School in Chanakyapuri. Security drills were promptly carried out and again, nothing suspicious was recovered.
Despite the repeated false alarms, authorities are not letting their guard down. “We are taking each alert seriously. Such threats, even when baseless, cause fear and disrupt the academic environment,” a senior Delhi Police officer said.
The motive behind the spate of threats remains unclear. However, police believe the intention could be to cause mass panic, disrupt public services or test emergency response mechanisms.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has been briefed on the recurring threats and central intelligence agencies are expected to assist in tracing the source of the messages.
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