Bomb scare continues to haunt Delhi

A week after a car exploded near the iconic Red Fort Metro station here claiming 15 lives, three Delhi courts - Saket, Dwarka and Patiala House - and two schools received bomb threat e-mails on Tuesday.

According to the police, an email warning of explosives planted on the court premises was received early morning, following which security teams were alerted to inspect the premises of these district courts. Nothing suspicious was found after the security checks.

Around the same time, an unidentified man called the Police Control Room (PCR) around 9 am, claiming that bombs had been placed inside a CRPF school in Dwarka and another in Prashant Vihar.

The threat triggered immediate mobilisation of local police, bomb disposal squads and the Delhi Fire Services at all locations.

“After receiving the call, teams were rushed to both schools and the buildings were evacuated as a precaution,” a senior police officer said.

He said the caller’s phone switched off soon after issuing the threat. Efforts were underway to trace the caller. Parallel checks were carried out at the three court complexes based on the email alert.

“We thoroughly inspected the schools, and nothing suspicious was found. The threat was declared a hoax,” a Delhi Fire Services official said.

Navneet Panwar, vice-president of the New Delhi Bar Association in Patiala House Courts, confirmed that a bomb threat had been received by email, following which a sanitisation exercise was conducted.

“The court proceedings are on. There was only a brief halt,” Panwar said.