Karnataka CM alleges conspiracy to disturb peace as schools receive bomb threats

The Karnataka CM also urged parents to not worry about their wards’ safety and said necessary precautionary measures are being undertaken.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday a conspiracy is being hatched to disturb the state’s peace. His remarks came in response to bomb threats received by some schools in Bengaluru, which police said were mostly a “hoax”. The Bengaluru Police also conducted searches in many schools earlier in the day following the threats received via email.

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai.

“A conspiracy is on to disturb peace in the state. Karnataka is a progressive state and some elements are repeatedly trying to tarnish this image. Police officers have been instructed to consider these cases seriously,” news agency ANI quoted Bommai as saying.

The Karnataka CM also urged parents to not worry about their wards’ safety and said necessary precautionary measures are being undertaken. “Those who made the bomb threat calls would be traced and arrested. Effective security and investigation measures will be taken,” he added.

A senior police officer said they have checked all the schools that received the threat and found nothing concerning. “The bomb threat emails are also coinciding with the SSLC exams being held in schools. Even earlier, we have had such hoax calls during exams. Parents and students don't need to panic. Police have the situation under control. We have checked all schools and found nothing,” said A Subramanyeswara Rao, additional commissioner of police, East Zone, Bengaluru.

“All the bomb threat emails have been sent from different email IDs... We have searched around 8 schools so far, most of which are from the eastern part of Bengaluru; it could be coincidental,” he added.

While stating that the threat appears to be a hoax one, he said the matter is being taken seriously, adding two teams are probing into the origin of the emails.

"It prima facie appears to be a hoax call but we're not taking anything lightly. We've dispatched our bomb detection and disposal squad to all the schools. They'll shortly complete their work. two teams are working to find the source of the email IDs," the cop said.

Police have evacuated all schools and senior officers have said a case will be filed after the search operations are over.