AHMEDABAD: A wave of e-mail bomb threats to schools triggered panic in Gujarat on Wednesday.
Atleast 15 prominent schools in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Kalol were put on high alert following the e-mail threat.
Intensive searches found no explosives, but the messages naming Union Home Minister Amit Shah and gangster Lawrence Bishnoi triggered a massive security clampdown. A probe by the Crime Branch has been ordered
The schools to which the threat was issued included Zebar, Zydus, Agrasen and DAV International School.
The message claimed of a blast at 1:11 pm. It said, “Ahmedabad dhamaka blast school se Sabarmati Jail tak.” The threat didn’t stop at schools. The e-mail also named Union Home Minister Amit Shah and jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, instantly elevating the alert level across Ahmedabad Shah’s Lok Sabha constituency and the state capital Gandhinagar.
Police teams, bomb disposal units, sniffer dog squads and fire services fanned out across campuses, sealing gates, evacuating premises and combing every corner with clockwork precision. Parallel checks were launched at sensitive government locations, including the Gandhinagar Secretariat near the Chief Minister’s Office, where dog squads conducted intensive searches to rule out any spillover threat.
Several schools declared holiday, parents were asked to stay calm, and security remained on edge.
Addressing the media, Government Spokesperson and Agriculture Minister Jitubhai Vaghani said, “The moment threatening e-mails were received by 10 to 15 schools, immediate action was initiated,” Vaghani said. “Bomb squads, sniffer dog teams and all concerned security units were deployed without delay.”
“Under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, the police force is working tirelessly to ensure complete safety. So far, no suspicious activity has been detected, but vigilance has not been relaxed,” Vaghani said. He revealed he had personally spoken to DGP Vikas Sahay, while Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi issued real-time instructions to ground teams.
“The checking process is ongoing, schools have been closed as a precaution, and the situation is being continuously monitored,” he said, stressing that the state remains on high alert.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has taken charge of the investigation, tracing the origin, routing and intent of the threatening e-mails. Cyber forensics teams are now working to identify whether the threat was a hoax, a coordinated attempt to spread fear, or part of a larger security challenge.