NEW DELHI: While some schools promptly evacuated the children and kept them waiting while thorough searches were conducted on the school premises, others failed to communicate the bomb threat to gaurdians, leading to major chaos outside school campuses. Principals, teachers, the education department, and the Delhi Parents Association remained active, sending messages to reassure parents that their children were safe.
Over 130 schools in Delhi-NCR received a hoax bomb threat in the early morning hours of Wednesday, triggering wide-spread panic among parents, exacerbating the turmoil outside city school gates on the eventful afternoon.
Anita Khosla, Principal of GD Goenka Public School Dwarka, stated, “The threat email, which mentioned the presence of numerous explosive devices within the school premises, prompted an immediate and decisive response from the school administration. With the safety of our students as our top priority, we swiftly evacuated students and teachers and promptly informed the police about the threatening email. Our dedicated staff also conducted a comprehensive and thorough check of the school campus to ensure everyone’s safety. We are also grateful for the swift action taken by the authorities in the face of potential danger.”
Vividh Gupta, Principal of Bal Bhawan Public School, Mayur Vihar Phase II, mentioned, “We acted swiftly and effectively managed the evacuation from the school building well in time. We contacted the nearest Station House Officer, who provided vigilant support in managing the situation outside the school. Parents were informed through WhatsApp messages, guiding them not to panic, and an entry and exit plan was shared. Since the school regularly conducts mock drills for students and teachers, everyone knows what to do and how to respond in such critical situations.”
Aprajita, President of the Delhi Parents Association, demanded action against such miscreants, saying, “We have requested the Delhi Police to identify the culprits and make their details public, subjecting them to the harshest punishment. Parents and children across Delhi are facing problems today due to these threats. Some miscreants have been sending threat emails for the past 1-2 years. Today, their audacity has reached such heights that hundreds of schools in Delhi have been threatened via emails. Immediate action is necessary.”
Hundreds of parents took to social media, sharing photos and videos from outside schools, depicting the chaos that ensued. Preeti Bhokar, a parent waiting for their ward outside DPS Noida, stated, “This is the scariest experience as a young parent. There were threats and chaos everywhere. Noida-122 was not on the list. The school did not inform the family, causing panic among the people. Lack of communication heightened the panic.”
The Directorate of Education, in a post on X, urged all stakeholders to remain calm, saying, “All our students and teachers are safe. All are requested not to panic... students were allowed to leave if parents had reached the school,” the post read.