Class 12 student held for sending bomb threat emails to 23 Delhi schools

Preliminary investigations revealed that he did not want to appear for examinations. The boy sent bomb threat emails to many schools, barring his educational institution. The string of bomb threats in the past few weeks, which later turned out to be hoaxes, had sent police into a tizzy

New Delhi:  A Class 12 student, who sent bomb threat emails to 23 schools, has been detained from Delhi. The minor’s detention comes after a police probe into bomb threats found his role in the crime.

Preliminary investigations revealed that he did not want to appear for examinations. The boy sent bomb threat emails to many schools, barring his educational institution. The string of bomb threats in the past few weeks, which later turned out to be hoaxes, had sent police into a tizzy.

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After the schools received bomb threats, students were sent back and bomb squads and sniffer dogs were pressed into service. In the wake of threats, the police and Education Department held a seminar for the school teachers and also trained them to deal with any eventualities.

Several airlines also received bomb hoaxes during this period, triggering panic and leading to emergency landings, disrupting flight timings and resulting in excessive fuel usage.

On December 20, last year, a bomb threat was reported at Delhi Public School (DPS) in Dwarka. On December 11, over 40 schools in Delhi received similar threats demanding ransom, though no explosives were found in any case.

In the same month, Indian Public School in South Delhi and Crescent Public School in North West Delhi also received bomb threats, causing panic. Six schools, including Bhatnagar Public School (Paschim Vihar), Cambridge School (Sriniwaspuri), DPS (East of Kailash), South Delhi Public School (Defence Colony), Delhi Police Public School (Safdarjung Enclave), and Venkatesh Public School (Rohini), were targeted via email.

The emails claimed involvement by a “dark web group” and included chilling details about how the bombs were allegedly placed to maximise harm while sparing structural damage.

The Delhi High Court has taken note of the recurring hoaxes and directed the Delhi government and Delhi Police to prepare a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to handle such emergencies.

Authorities have been instructed to submit a comprehensive action plan by January 2024 to ensure swift and effective responses to future threats.