Around 60 schools in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) received a bomb threat email in the early hours of Wednesday, following which students were evacuated.
These include at least five schools in the southwest, three in the east, and 10 in South Delhi. The schools received the threats on their official email IDs around 4 am.
A probe is underway to trace the origin of the email, which prima facie appears to have been sent from Russia. Meanwhile, central agencies are also investigating the matter. Officials have told The Indian Express that similar threats were received by airports in the last two days, and by hospitals on Monday.
Bomb detection teams, bomb disposal squads and officials of Delhi Fire Service have been rushed to schools and search operations are underway, a police officer said.
As of now, around 60 schools have received bomb threats, according to a Delhi Fire official.
“In the initial investigation, since yesterday, many schools across Delhi have received emails. A same pattern was followed to send threat mails. Dateline is not mentioned… BCC is mentioned in the e-mail and hence it is clear that one email has been sent to many places,” the police said.
“Many schools have received bomb threats. We are investigating all the threats and further probe into the matter is underway,” the police added.
All schools in Delhi-NCR to which threat emails have been sent have been closed as a precaution and the children have been sent back and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is being followed, authorities said.
One of the schools informed parents regarding the threat by mail and precautionary measures that has been taken by the school to handle the situation in a smooth manner.
“An email was received this morning regarding a bomb threat in school. As such the students are being dispersed immediately as a precautionary measure. You are requested to kindly collect your wards from your respective bus stops. Parents are requested to kindly come and collect their wards immediately. The Bus Route Incharges will keep you updated about the movement of the buses from time to time,” the communiation to the parents read.
“We got a message from the school that due to unavoidable situation, the school will remain closed today. We were not aware of the situation but later we got to know that there was a bomb threat to the school. Recently, some schools received a bomb threat email but it turned out to be a hoax,” Praveen, a parent of a school going child said.
