Hoax bomb threat strikes Delhi schools again, second incident in a week

Security agencies are investigating an email that claimed explosives were planted in several Delhi schools, prompting an evacuation. So far, no suspicious items have been found at the institutions

Security agencies in Delhi are on high alert after several prominent schools in the capital received a bomb threat via email on Friday, marking the second such incident this week, reported NDTV. The threat led to the evacuation of students and staff, and schools sent urgent notifications to parents asking them not to send their children to school. The police have launched a full investigation, but as of now, no suspicious items have been found at the institutions.

 

Among the schools targeted in this latest bomb threat are Delhi Public School in East of Kailash, Salwan School, Modern School, and Cambridge School. In response to the threat, these schools promptly implemented safety protocols, evacuating students and temporarily closing their campuses.

 

Email threat claims explosives on school premises 

An email received by the schools claimed that "several explosives" had been planted on the premises. The message, which appeared to be from a group operating on the ‘dark web’, threatened massive destruction and harm. The sender claimed the bombs were powerful enough to destroy the buildings and cause casualties.

 

“I am sure that you all do not check your students' bags frequently when they enter the school premises,” the email warned. “The bombs are powerful enough to destroy the buildings and harm people. December 13 and 14, both days can be the day your school will face a bomb blast.” 

The email also pointed to the upcoming parent-teacher meetings scheduled for December 14, suggesting that the bombs could go off during these events. The message further demanded that authorities respond to the email in order to learn of the sender’s “demands.”

 

Police response and school evacuations 

In response to the threat, police, fire department officials, bomb detection squads, and dog units were swiftly deployed to the affected schools. Authorities conducted thorough searches of the premises to ensure that no explosives were present. Despite these efforts, no suspicious items have been found so far. 

Delhi Police are also investigating the IP address of the email in an effort to trace the sender’s location. Investigators are treating the threat seriously, though authorities have said that there is no evidence yet of any actual explosives being planted.

 

A growing pattern of hoaxes 

This incident is the latest in a pattern of bomb threats targeting schools across the national capital. On December 9, more than 40 schools in Delhi received similar bomb threats via email. Following a police investigation, the threats were declared hoaxes, and no explosives were found at those schools either. 

The earlier email, which was sent at 11.38 pm on December 9, claimed that ‘multiple small bombs’ had been planted inside the buildings of several schools. It demanded $30,000 for the safe removal of the bombs and warned of potential injuries if the bombs detonated. “It will not cause very much damage to the building, but many people will be injured when the bombs detonate,” the email read. 

The Delhi Police later confirmed that the December 9 bomb threat was a hoax and that no real danger existed. 

 

Previous bomb scares in Delhi 

This new bomb threat also comes just over a month after a series of similar threats targeting CRPF schools across India. On October 21, a CRPF school in Tamil Nadu received a bomb threat via email, which prompted a nationwide alert. Schools in Delhi and Hyderabad were also on high alert, though these threats, too, were later confirmed to be hoaxes.

 

In a separate incident on October 20, a blast occurred at a CRPF school in Delhi’s Rohini area, damaging nearby shops and vehicles. However, no injuries were reported.

 

A wider trend of hoax bomb threats 

The wave of bomb threats is not confined to schools. In recent months, multiple Indian airlines, hotels, and train stations have also received bomb threats. All of these incidents have turned out to be hoaxes, yet they continue to disrupt public life and strain law enforcement resources. 

The spike in bomb threat calls has been especially noticeable in the aviation sector. According to Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, the number of bomb threat calls to airlines has surged by a staggering 714.7 per cent in 2024. In 2023, there were 122 such calls; by October 2024, the number had skyrocketed to 994.

 

In October alone, airlines received 666 bomb threat calls, the highest for the year, followed by 122 calls in June. In contrast, only 15 threat calls were recorded in September and October 2023, the highest during that period last year.  (With agency inputs)