New Delhi: Bomb disposal squads and K9 units of the Delhi Police were kept busy for the fourth day in the week after more than 20 schools in the national capital received bomb threat e-mails on Friday morning. The schools have been evacuated and search operations are underway.
Bomb threats were received by three schools on Monday. On Tuesday, the St Stephen’s College and a school in Dwarka received bomb threats. On Wednesday, seven schools around Delhi received bomb threats.
The schools that received the threats on Friday include St Xaviers in Civil Lines, Richmond Global School in Paschim Vihar, Abhinav Public School and The Sovereign School in Rohini.
Though the threats over the last few days turned out to be hoaxes, the police are taking no chances. All the mails claim that a large quantity of explosives have been planted at specific locations. The mail received by St Stephen’s College stated that four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and two packets of RDX had been planted at multiple locations on campus, including the library, and that they would detonate by 2 pm.
One of the threat mails was traced back to a12-year-old boy from south Delhi was traced in connection with one of these threats.
The boy, a student of a private school, had used his personal mobile phone to send the hoax email. He was questioned, counselled, and then sent back home. The police came to know that the boy is undergoing treatment for a mental health condition.
The bomb threats have also sparked a political battle with former Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Atishi slamming the BJP government in power in the state.
“More than 20 schools have received bomb threats today! Think of the trauma that children, parents and teachers would be going through. BJP controls all 4-engines of governance in Delhi, and is yet not able to provide any safety or security to our children! Shocking!,” she posted.
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