In a shocking turn of events, more than 40 schools in Delhi received bomb threats via email on Monday morning, causing widespread panic and leading to the immediate evacuation of students. The threatening emails demanded a ransom of $30,000, warning that multiple bombs had been planted within the school premises. The anonymous sender claimed that the bombs were small but strategically hidden, posing a significant threat to the safety of students and staff.
Authorities, including bomb squads and dog squads, were swiftly deployed to the affected schools, which included prominent institutions such as Delhi Public School in Vasant Kunj and R.K. Puram, G.D. Goenka School, and Doon Public School in Paschim Vihar. Despite thorough searches, no suspicious items were found, and the threats were deemed to be a hoax. However, as a precautionary measure, students were sent home, and parents were asked to pick up their children.
The incident has raised serious concerns about the security and safety of educational institutions in the capital. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi criticized the central government for its failure to ensure the safety of Delhi's residents, while former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal called for accountability from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Delhi High Court had previously directed the local government and police to develop a comprehensive action plan, including a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for handling bomb threats, which is now being urgently implemented.