On Friday, Delhi experienced a wave of bomb threats when 30 schools across the city received emails warning of explosives on their premises. The emails, which were confirmed to be hoaxes, originated from outside the country, according to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for South East Delhi, Ravi Kumar Singh.
As soon as the threats were received, the schools took immediate precautions, evacuating students and staff to ensure their safety. The Bomb Disposal Squad was called in to carry out thorough checks at the affected locations, although no dangerous materials were found.
The alerts came in the early hours of the morning, around 5:30 AM, when police received information about the threatening emails. While the threat appeared serious, further investigation revealed that it was a false alarm.
Three schools in South East Delhi were among those targeted, with a total of 30 schools across the city receiving similar emails. DCP Singh reassured the public that no explosives or harmful substances were found in any of the affected schools.
In the South West district, DCP Surendra Chaudhary confirmed that four schools received similar threatening emails around 12:54 AM. His team responded quickly, conducting checks and following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for bomb threats.
No suspicious items were discovered, and the authorities informed the school management and parents not to panic.
The bomb threat emails caused a wave of concern among both parents and school staff, especially as the authorities worked to verify their credibility.
At Cambridge School in Srinivaspuri, the principal, Madhvi Goswami, immediately alerted the police and moved classes to an online format to ensure the safety of the students.
Although the threats raised fears, there were no reports of any explosives or harmful materials being found. The police have assured the public that investigations are ongoing, and they remain committed to ensuring the safety of all educational institutions.
This is not the first time that bomb threats have disrupted schools in Delhi. In fact, a similar incident occurred earlier in December, when over 40 schools across the city received bomb threat emails demanding a ransom of USD 30,000.
The latest hoax bomb threats have raised serious concerns about the safety of schools and the potential psychological impact on students. The authorities have been working tirelessly to address the issue, with a focus on ensuring that such incidents do not disrupt the academic and emotional well-being of children.
The recurring nature of these threats has led to increased pressure on both the Delhi Police and the local government to enhance security measures in schools.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also expressed his concerns over the impact of these threats on students, highlighting the psychological toll they could take if they continue.
He questioned whether the ongoing bomb threat incidents would result in long-term disruptions to the children's studies and mental health.
In response to these concerns, the Delhi High Court intervened in November, directing the Delhi Government and Delhi Police to create a comprehensive action plan to address bomb threats and other emergencies.
The court instructed the authorities to develop a detailed SOP, ensuring that schools and law enforcement are better equipped to handle such situations in the future. The court set a deadline of eight weeks for the completion of these measures.
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