CHANDIGARH: Around 26 schools in Chandigarh on Wednesday received emails threatening possible bomb attacks, prompting the evacuation of students.
Following the threat, anti-sabotage checks were carried out by the police.
Meanwhile, more than six private schools in Gurugram also received bomb threat emails.
Sources said many government and private schools in sectors 26, 19, 45, 16 and other areas received the threat emails, following which students and staff were evacuated, and security was stepped up around the schools. The students on their way to the schools were also sent back home.
The schools that received the bomb threat included St Kabir Public School, Vivek High School, Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sacred Heart School and Chitkara School, among others.
The management of the schools told the police that they received bomb threat emails on Wednesday morning and informed the authorities immediately.
An emergency siren was reportedly sounded in parts of the city as officials assessed the situation. Bomb disposal and dog squads were rushed to the school premises, where searches were carried out.
Sudden alerts triggered chaos outside school premises, as students were sent home and parents rushed to pick up their children. Parents and students were asked to cooperate with security personnel and follow the guidelines issued by school authorities.
The incident comes close on the heels of similar cases in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala in Punjab, and Ambala in Haryana, where several schools received similar threats that later turned out to be hoaxes.
Confirming that a case has been registered in this regard, Senior Superintendent of Police of Chandigarh, Kanwardeep Kaur, said, “Around 26 schools got the threats. The security teams have conducted thorough checks, and no suspicious objects have been found. The email IDs from which the threatening messages were sent are being investigated by the cyber cell of the police. We are actively tracing all digital leads to identify the perpetrators. An FIR has been registered at Sector 17 police station, and the investigation is ongoing.”
When asked about earlier threats received by the Punjab and Haryana High Court and district courts, she said the investigations were still underway, adding that the police were working to connect all leads to gain a comprehensive understanding of the incidents.
Meanwhile, Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said parents and citizens are requested to remain calm.
“We were given no reason, only told to take our children home,” said a parent.
Another parent said that a teacher came running and told me to go home immediately.
“Only later did I learn it was a bomb threat,’’ he added.
Following a series of hoax bomb threats that led to the evacuation of several schools, the Chandigarh Administration issued an advisory urging educational institutions to remain calm and avoid creating unnecessary panic.
The administration also directed all schools to immediately inform the police on receiving any threatening email, message or call, so that action can be taken in line with established safety protocols.
It cautioned schools against announcing holidays or shutting down operations without verified information, warning that such steps could cause avoidable anxiety among students, parents and the general public.
Emphasising the need for vigilance, the advisory asked school authorities to continue regular academic activities while remaining alert to any suspicious communication.
The administration reiterated that security agencies are equipped to assess threats promptly and take appropriate measures to ensure safety.
Meanwhile, in Gurugram, as a precautionary measure, search operations were launched on the school premises, and students were evacuated safely.
The schools that received the threats include Kunskapalan School in DLF Phase 1, Lancers School in Sector 53, Heritage Experiential Learning School in Sector 64, Shiv Nadar School in DLF Phase 1, Shri Ram Aravali School and Pathways World School near Badshahpur.
The threat emails were received around 7.10 am, following which the police control room was informed.
Parents were advised not to send their children to school, while those who had already arrived were sent back home.
The police reached the schools and activated security protocols. SDRF teams were also called in to assist with the search and investigation.
A police officer said that no suspicious objects had been found so far, but the police and district administration are closely monitoring the situation.