Panic gripped judicial and administrative centres as bomb threat emails targeted the Dharwad Bench of the High Court, and several other district courts. This led to an immediate evacuation, causing judges, lawyers, and defendants to pour out into the streets as court proceedings were swiftly halted.
Beyond the High Court in Dharwad, district courts in Mysuru, Gadag, and Bagalkote were also placed on high alert after receiving similar emails. Bomb disposal units and dog squads spent hours scouring the premises for any signs of explosives. However, a senior police officer confirmed later in the day that the searches yielded nothing suspicious. While the locations have been cleared, local police have registered FIRs and are working to trace the digital footprint of the emails.
The courts weren't the only targets on Tuesday. Earlier in the morning, the Regional Passport Office in Bengaluru’s Koramangala was hit with a similar threat, leading to an emergency sweep of the building. As a safeguard, authorities also conducted security checks at the Passport Seva Kendra on Lalbagh Road. Like the court threats, these were eventually declared hoaxes after no suspicious objects were found.
Koramangala police have opened a case based on a complaint from passport officials. Investigators are now looking into whether these coordinated hoaxes against the judiciary and the passport department are linked to a single source. For now, security remains tightened across major government installations in the state.
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