Hoax bomb threat: Six district courts, school in Himachal Pradesh evacuated

Anonymous email threatening to blow up district courts at Chakkar in Shimla, Nahan in Sirmaur and Kullu triggers panic; eighth such threat in state this year.

Anonymous e-mails threatening to blow up six district courts at Chakkar and Rampur in Shimla, Nahan in Sirmaur, Kinnaur, Kullu and Chamba on Wednesday triggered panic and led to the evacuation of the six premises, affecting legal proceedings.

Lawyers, litigants and staff of the district court at Chakkar in Shimla wait outside as police carry out a search after the bomb threat on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

As per the police apart from the district courts, an e-mail was also received threatening to blow up the office of headmaster, Sanawar School, Solan.

The threatening e-mails alleged the presence of RDX-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at these locations.

Acting promptly, police evacuated the six court complexes and the school as a precautionary measure and thorough searches were launched. Bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs were requisitioned, but after no explosive was found, work resumed.

Police in a statement said the contents of all e-mails were similar and were believed to have originated from a single source.

A senior police officer said the e-mails were sent via virtual private network (VPN).

The senior police officer said, “All e-mails are treated seriously and appropriate action is taken, including sanitisation of locations. All these e-mails are routed through VPNs, which mask the sender’s identity.”

This is the eighth such threat incident reported in Himachal Pradesh since January when a threat to blow up government offices was received. All seven bomb threat e-mails had turned out to be hoax as security agencies did not find any suspicious object or explosive substance while searching the offices of chief secretary Prabodh Saxena, deputy commissioners of Mandi, Kullu and Hamirpur, besides the high court premises.

Besides the hill state, the states of Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala and Gujarat have received similar e-mail threats.

Bomb threats this year

April 15: An e-mail was received at the office of deputy commissioner, Mandi, claiming explosives planted at government offices.

April 16: An e-mail was sent to chief secretary Prabodh Saxena, targeting the secretariat building, which also houses the chief minister’s office.

April 25: Two e-mails were received, threatening to blow up the offices of the DCs of Chamba and Hamirpur.

May 2: An e-mail was received, threatening to blow up the Kullu DC’s office.

May 26: Threat e-mail was received, targeting the Himachal Pradesh secretariat.

June 9: An e-mail warned of suicide bombers with IEDs targeting the high court.