A wave of panic swept across courts in West Bengal on Tuesday after threatening emails warning of bomb blasts were sent simultaneously to several district courts, including the City and Sessions Court in Kolkata and courts in Asansol, Durgapur, and Chinsurah. Authorities are now examining whether the threats are linked to the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of electoral rolls being conducted under judicial supervision.
The threatening email, received around 11:30 am, claimed that RDX and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) had been planted in court premises and judges’ chambers and warned that explosions would occur at 1 pm. The message triggered immediate evacuation of court complexes, suspension of proceedings, and deployment of heavy security.
Senior police officials, bomb disposal squads, and sniffer dogs were rushed to the affected courts. Comprehensive combing operations were launched, but no explosives had been found so far, according to police sources.
The incident has drawn particular attention due to its timing. A section of judges across the state has recently been involved in the SIR process following directions from the Supreme Court. The final electoral roll is scheduled to be published on February 28.
The simultaneous targeting of multiple courts has raised questions within judicial and legal circles about whether the threatening emails were intended to disrupt or influence the SIR process.
District court lawyer Kishore Mandal said, “Judges have been participating in the SIR process as directed by the Supreme Court. Those whose interests may be affected could be behind such acts. The police investigation will reveal the truth.”
The bomb scare was first reported at the Asansol District Court during ongoing proceedings. District Judge Debprasad Nag received the threatening email and immediately informed those present.
“The mail mentioned that RDX and IEDs had been planted and that an explosion would occur at 1 pm. We evacuated the court premises immediately to ensure safety,” Judge Nag said.
Advocate Shekhar Kundu, who was present during the incident, said, “We were attending a hearing when the judge informed us about the bomb threat email. We quickly vacated the courtroom.”
Similar scenes unfolded at the Durgapur Sub-Divisional Court, where officials ordered immediate evacuation, and large police contingents were deployed under the supervision of senior officers. In Hooghly’s Chinsurah, court authorities alerted police after receiving an email claiming that as many as 15 RDX devices had been planted within the premises.
The Kolkata City and Sessions Court also received a similar threat, prompting evacuation and thorough searches.
Police said the threatening email is being treated with utmost seriousness, and the cyber wing has launched a detailed investigation to trace its origin. Officials are tracking the IP address and examining digital evidence to identify the sender.
A senior police officer said, “The source of the email is being investigated, and cyber experts are analysing technical data. We are not ruling out any angle, including attempts to create panic or disrupt judicial functioning.”
Authorities noted that similar threatening emails had recently been sent to courts in Ranchi, Odisha, and Dehradun, which were later found to be hoaxes. However, the coordinated nature of the threats in West Bengal has heightened concern.
Security has been tightened across court complexes, and investigations are ongoing to determine whether the threats were intended to interfere with the SIR process or were part of a broader attempt to spread panic.
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