‘Bomb blast at 1.07’: Red Fort, Delhi assembly receive emails days after ‘Lashkar’ threat

The bomb threat email, written in Punjabi, also mentioned Khalistan and included the line “Dilli banega Khalistan”.

The Red Fort, the Delhi Legislative Assembly and at least three schools in the national capital were mentioned in bomb threat emails sent on Monday morning, triggering evacuations and intensive searches by multiple agencies. All threats were later declared hoaxes, officials said.

Security personnel stand guard near Red Fort in New Delhi. (ANI)

A senior police official clarified that there was no separate email sent specifically to the Red Fort. Instead, the monument was mentioned in the emails received by the schools and the Delhi Vidhan Sabha.

According to a senior police officer, the email sent to the schools stated that there would be a bomb blast at the Red Fort at 1.07 pm. The message, written in Punjabi, also mentioned Khalistan and included the line “Dilli banega Khalistan”, besides allegedly containing objectionable remarks against the Prime Minister.

The threat emails were received around 8 am through a Gmail account by at least three schools, including Army Public School, Delhi Cantonment, and Air Force Bal Bharti School in Lodhi Colony.

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said the fire control room received two calls regarding the emails. The first call came at 8:50 am about a bomb threat email sent to Army Public School, and the second at 9:36 am regarding a similar message to Air Force Bal Bharti School. One fire tender was dispatched to each school as a precautionary measure. “The premises were searched but nothing suspicious was found,” DFS officials said.

Police teams, along with bomb disposal squads and dog squads, conducted detailed checks at the schools. No explosives or suspicious objects were recovered.

Assembly vacated for two hours

An Assembly official said the bomb threat email was received on the official ID of the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

“The bomb threat email was received on the official id of Assembly Speaker. Following the email, the bomb disposal squad checked the premises for nearly two hours after which it was declared a hoax. The work was affected for nearly two hours as officials were asked to vacate the premises,” the official said.

The Assembly premises were cleared after extensive checks yielded no suspicious findings.

Threat mail days after 'high alert' in Delhi

The incident comes days after security was heightened in the capital due to intelligence alerts about possible terror plots targeting religious places near the Red Fort and the Chandni Chowk area.

Although earlier alerts were later termed inconsequential, surveillance and deployment at sensitive locations continue to remain stepped up. Central agencies and Delhi Police units are coordinating closely, with bomb disposal squads and quick reaction teams placed on standby.

Police said efforts are underway to trace the origin of Monday’s emails and identify those responsible for spreading panic.