Police personnel keeping vigil at Andhra School after multiple schools received bomb threats via e-mail, in New Delhi on May 1, 2024. | Photo Credit: Sushil Kumar Verma
After over 80 schools across Delhi-NCR received a bomb threat via email on May 1 morning the investigation agencies suspect that the email originated from a server located in Russia, sources said. Sources say a single IP address was used to send the email to all schools.
The Cyber team of the Delhi Police has also joined the investigation. Sources say the initial investigation shows that the email address, used to send the threat mail to over 80 schools in Delhi-NCR, had a Russian domain. However, the police are yet to ascertain whether the email actually originated from Russia.
Several schools in New Delhi receive bomb threats
The police is now tracking the IP address of the email address. Sources have told ANI that these kind of emails are usually sent using a VPN connection to enable the sender to mask the original IP address. The cyber team is confident of tracing the IP address. Sources in the investigation team also say that the Dark Web could have been used to send the threat mail. In order to cover all flanks different teams of the Delhi Police are working on different aspects of the investigation. The Noida, Ghaziabad, and Delhi police are conducting a joint investigation to address the situation.
As news of the threats spread, the Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education issued a statement confirming that no dangerous devices or suspicious activity were found in any of the affected schools.
“Today, few schools of Delhi got hoax bomb calls/ mails. Nothing adverse/ questionable was found anywhere by Delhi Police. All our students and teachers are safe. All are requested not to panic. To relieve the parents, students were allowed to leave if parents had reached school,” Delhi Government’s Directorate of Education said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, a Delhi Police senior officials’ meeting is underway in police headquarters. Special CPS, along with Joint CP, and officer of the social media cell are also present.
Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa confirmed that nothing suspicious was found at any of the schools during investigation. “Several schools have approached us that they have received an email regarding a bomb in their campus. Delhi Police has conducted search operations but nothing untoward has been found so far… It seems someone has done this to create panic… I just want to request the parents to not get panicked. We are conducting an investigation regarding the same,” the Delhi Police PRO said.
Meanwhile to prevent panic among parents and faculty and prompting frenetic searches, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued an official statement earlier, saying that the email appeared to be a ‘hoax’.
Delhi Police’s Special Cell has initiated an investigation into the bomb threats sent to several schools but nothing suspicious has been found yet, said police officials.
Earlier, Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena inspected one of the schools that received the threat said that he had sought a detailed probe from the Delhi Police Commissioner.
“Spoke to the Police Commissioner and sought a detailed report into the bomb threats at schools in Delhi-NCR. Directed Delhi Police to carry out a thorough search in school premises, identify the culprits and ensure there are no lapses. I request the parents not to panic and co-operate with the administration in ensuring safety of schools and the children. The miscreants and culprits will not be spared.” Mr. Saxena said.
