On a tense Wednesday morning, several schools in the capital city of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, were rocked by bomb threat emails. This alarming news created chaos amongst school staff, students, and a worried parent community. Fortunately, these threats turned out to be hoaxes, as no explosives were discovered in any of the schools.
Students Relocated to Open Spaces for Safety
Responding swiftly, police and the special bomb squad teams conducted thorough searches of the implicated schools. During this precautionary operation, some students were relocated to secure locations like playgrounds or open areas to ensure their safety.
The news quickly led to a surge in parental anxiety. Many contacted the schools to inquire about their children's safety, with numerous parents rushing to schools to pick up their wards. For security reasons, the police opted not to disclose the names of the schools, but police and investigation team vehicles were seen in Shimla's main city and suburbs like Sanjauli-Dhali.
State DGP Ashok Tiwari issued a statement urging people to remain calm and not spread rumors. He assured that the Himachal Police is vigilant and fully prepared to handle any situation.
No Suspicious Objects or Explosives Found in Investigation
Investigations showed no suspicious objects or explosives in any school, and studies resumed post-lunch. Efforts are underway to trace the email sender’s IP address.
According to officials, similar threats have been reported in other states, and the police are coordinating with agencies from these states. It’s reported that two private schools in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, received similar bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning.
Just days prior, similar bomb threats were issued to Himachal Pradesh High Court, district court premises, deputy commissioner's office, and the state secretariat, which also proved to be false alarms.
