New Delhi:
Several schools in Delhi and Noida have been evacuated after receiving a bomb threat via email. Police officers are on site and are conducting a thorough search.
The search teams have not yet found anything suspicious.
“We are taking all appropriate action at the schools which have received bomb threats. I request parents not to panic as nothing suspicious has been found,” Delhi Police spokesperson Suman Nalwa told NDTV.
“We are taking all appropriate measures”: Delhi Police PRO Suman Nalwa to NDTVs @parmeshwarbawa at 8 schools that receive emails about bomb fraud pic.twitter.com/wZDizFeIMR
— NDTV (@ndtv) May 1, 2024
According to Delhi Police, efforts are being made to trace the IP address of the threatening email, but so far it has not been possible to determine who sent the email and from where.
“This is a mischief. An email has been sent to all schools on such a large scale to create panic. The cyber cell unit is also trying to trace the email address and IP address,” police said.
Sanskriti School in Chanakyapuri, Mother Mary School in East Delhi's Mayur Vihar and Delhi Public School in Dwarka were among the first schools to face the threat early today. Since then, nearly 50 other schools have also received similar emails claiming explosives are on campus.
One of the schools, Mother Mary, was conducting an exam and had to stop midway when the searches began. The school declared a state of emergency and asked everyone to leave the building immediately.
In an email to parents, DPS said: “We would like to inform you that the school has received an email that endangers the safety of the students. As a precaution, we are immediately sending the students home.”
After the local police were informed, the school building was evacuated. Images from the schools showed parents rushing to the schools to pick up their children.
The bomb detection team, bomb squad and Delhi Fire Brigade officials have been rushed to the schools.
Delhi Education Minister Atishi confirmed the development and said nothing suspicious has been found in any of the schools yet.
“Some schools received bomb threats today morning. Students have been evacuated and those buildings are being searched by Delhi Police. So far nothing has been found in any of the schools. We are in constant contact with the police and the schools. parents and citizens should not panic. School authorities will contact parents as necessary,” Atishi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Some schools received bomb threats this morning. Students have been evacuated and Delhi's buildings are being searched. So far nothing has been found at any school.
We are in constant contact with the police and the schools. I would like parents and…
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) May 1, 2024
In February, a similar threat at the Delhi Police Academy in RK Puram turned out to be a hoax.