3 Amritsar schools receive hoax bomb calls; cops swing into action, close these for search op
Threats were received via email
Panic gripped parts of the city on Wednesday morning after three schools received bomb threat emails, prompting immediate action by school authorities and the police. As a precautionary measure, students were sent home and the campuses were thoroughly checked by security agencies.
According to information, the threats were received via email, though the sender did not clearly mention any terrorist organisation. Among the schools that received the threats include Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary School, Millennium School and a government school. Soon after the messages were received, the school managements informed the police and initiated evacuation protocols to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Police teams rushed to both school premises and conducted detailed inspections, focussing on entry points, classrooms, corridors and other sensitive areas. Bomb disposal squads and police officials carried out a preliminary search, but no explosive material or suspicious objects were found during the operation.
After the security checks, the threats were declared a hoax. However, police officials said that the matter was being taken seriously and efforts were underway to trace the source of the emails. Cyber crime teams have also been roped in to investigate the origin of the threat messages.
This is not the first such incident in recent days. Earlier, also several schools in the city had received similar bomb threats, following which all schools were ordered to be closed. The police had registered a case and started investigations to ascertain the source of the emails, though it was yet to make any breakthrough in these instances.
Similarly, Golden Temple management and Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport had also received similar threats in the past.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagjt Singh Walia said already many districts and other states had received similar mails. He said that Punjab Police, along with central agencies, were on the job and cyber investigations were also on. The accused would be behind bars soon, he said.
The police have appealed to the public and educational institutions to remain calm, but vigilant, assuring that strict action will be taken against those found responsible for spreading panic through fake threats.
