The authorities in India’s capital, Delhi have told news reporters they inspected around 40 schools after they received anonymous bomb threats.
The investigated schools had received emails threatening that bombs would be detonated unless $30,000 (£23,582) was paid to the sender, a news agency ANI, reported.
At the time of filing this report, no bombs have been found and police have not confirmed if the threats are fake or not.
In India, hoax bomb threats have repeatedly led to pandemonium at schools, railway stations and airports, and for this year, India’s airlines and airports received almost 1,000 hoax bomb threats as of 14 November. This led to long [airport] delays and flight diversions.
Authorities have still not found out what sparked the dramatic surge this year compared with previous years.
News media, ANI, further reported how two of the schools received the emails on Sunday night while the others got theirs on Monday morning.
A spokesperson for the Delhi Police informed the local media that all hands were on deck to trace the origin of the email and identify the sender.
Delhi Chief Minister Atishi has accused the federal government – led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – of failing to ensure the safety of residents, even going as far as making a post on X, saying;
“After daily incidents of ransom, murders, and shootings in Delhi, now we are receiving threats of school bombings”.
The Delhi government is governed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), but the police report to the federal home ministry.
At this time of filing this report, the federally appointed lieutenant governor, the constitutional head of Delhi, has yet to comment on the bomb threats.
