Hoax bomb threat stirs panic at Mohali school

A man delivered a letter containing a bomb threat at St Soldier International Convent School, Phase 7, Mohali, but a search by the bomb squad and police found it to be hoax

Panic gripped the staff and students of St Soldier International Convent School, Phase 7, after an anonymous letter about the presence of a bomb on the school premises while classes were underway around 12.30pm on Saturday.

A police team, along with a bomb squad, dog squad and forensic team, reached the Mohali school, but the information turned out to be a hoax. (AFP photo/for representation only)

The school authorities immediately informed the police and had the building evacuated.

They told the police that a man handed a letter to a Class 11 student at the school gate. A peon further delivered the letter to the principal, who found it contained information about a bomb on the school premises.

But after a police team, along with a bomb squad, dog squad and forensic team, reached the school, the information turned out to be a hoax. “The teams scanned every article at the school, along with staff and students’ bags, but nothing amiss was found,” said Mataur station house officer (SHO) Naveen Pal Singh, adding that further probe was underway.