SAMBALPUR/BARGARH : Fresh emails threatening bomb attacks were sent to two courts in Sambalpur and Bargarh late on Sunday night, putting police officials in both the districts on their toes.
After the District and Sessions court in Sambalpur received the bomb threat email, police launched a comprehensive security operation, deploying personnel to secure the premises. The bomb disposal squad was roped in to conduct a thorough search. The court complex was inspected overnight, and by Monday morning, authorities confirmed that no explosives or suspicious objects had been found.
A similar threat was reported at the Civil Court complex in Bargarh. An email, purportedly sent from an Outlook mail ID, allegedly warned of five bomb blasts and the presence of three ‘suicide Maoists’ within the court premises before lunch hour. Following the email, the District and Sessions Judge of Bargarh formally requested the SP to deploy adequate security personnel and a bomb squad to carry out a detailed search of the premises.
Earlier, a bomb threat was received at the Sambalpur court on January 8, followed by a similar email targeting the Bargarh court on February 6. In both the instances, exhaustive searches were conducted and the threats were later determined to be hoaxes.
The recurring false alarms have heightened concerns among locals and members of the legal fraternity over repeated disruptions to court functioning and delay in identification of the miscreants. Senior advocate Sureshwar Mishra said, “It is unfortunate that despite the repeated bomb threats over the past few months, police have not been able to identify or apprehend the culprits. The safety and security of the court premises and the people who visit the court must remain a top priority. We urge the authorities to not take the situation lightly and take concrete steps to ensure that such incidents do not continue.”
Following the fresh threats, authorities have intensified surveillance and enhanced security in and around the court premises. Police are continuing efforts to trace the source of the emails and ascertain the identity of the miscreants behind the threats.