Delhi bomb scare

THE bomb threat emails received by about 200 schools in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday turned out to be a hoax, but the perpetrators succeeded in creating mass panic and disturbing public order. The emails sent students, parents and the authorities of schools into a tizzy, with the police and fire departments receiving a flurry of phone calls from the institutions. The campuses were swiftly evacuated and the premises were thoroughly searched, but nothing suspicious was found.

The incident has demonstrated the sheer audacity and expertise of cybercriminals, who are using the dark web — encrypted online content that allows users to hide their identity and location — for their nefarious purposes. It is suspected that the hoax is the handiwork of elements from across India’s borders. Even as a probe is in progress, what has made things more difficult for the police are the false messages or fake news being circulated on WhatsApp. The police have requested the citizens to be wary of rumours or misinformation. This is the second such incident in less than a month. More than 20 schools in Kolkata had received bomb threat emails in early April. Declaring that ‘our aim is bloodbath’, the senders had claimed that bombs had been placed in classrooms in various schools and would explode during the morning hours. That warning had proved to be a hoax, too.

The fact that several airports across the country received threatening emails earlier this week clearly shows that a pattern is being followed to cause nationwide pandemonium. With India in the midst of a General Election, security agencies and cybercrime cells need to work in close coordination and thoroughly probe every case to nail the miscreants. At the same time, there is a need for all to avoid panic and desist from mindlessly forwarding content on social media. Most importantly, criminal elements must not be allowed to disrupt the poll process in any way.

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