Delhi assembly evacuated after bomb threat email, second time in 2 days

Fresh bomb threat email triggers evacuation at Delhi Assembly, a day after similar threats; police launch search, no suspicious items found so far

A bomb threat email on Wednesday triggered panic at the Delhi Assembly, prompting an immediate evacuation and a swift security response, a day after similar threats were sent to the Delhi Legislative Assembly and Speaker Vijender Gupta.

Delhi Assembly evacuated after bomb threat email warns of IEDs; comes a day after similar threats, security agencies on high alert. (Representative photo)

The Delhi Legislative Assembly and its speaker Vijender Gupta received threats via email on Tuesday too.

The mail was sent around 2 am on Wednesday, addressed to the speaker’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD). The email warned of 16 RDX-based improvised explosive devices inside the premises. “16 RDX IEDs planted in the Delhi Assembly, planned for Wednesday at 1:40 pm. Withdraw the CBI case against former ministers V Senthil Balaji and Jaffer Sadiq...” reads the mail.

Police said the mail was sent from a Hotmail account and was seen in the morning.

Police said the mail mentions DMK and a Coimbatore-based group. “All our leaders who supported DMK in the last election have now been arrested under UAPA by the same Udhayanidhi whom we had supported...” reads the email.

Police said checks are being conducted by the bomb detection squad, teams from the crime branch, security personnel and dog squad. Nothing suspicious has been found as of yet, police said.

The Tuesday emails mention several leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Sandhu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

According to police, the Vidhan Sabha Metro Station, located near the assembly, also received a similar threat on Tuesday. The threatening emails were sent early on Tuesday, with one reaching the Speaker’s account at 7:49 am and another to the Assembly’s official email account at 7:28 am.

At least two emails threatening bomb blasts at the Delhi Assembly, Red Fort, Metro stations and three schools in south and south-west Delhi were received on Monday morning, putting security agencies on high alert and triggering hours-long anti-sabotage and search operations.

Extensive searches yielded no explosive substances or suspicious objects, and the emails were later declared hoaxes, at least three senior Delhi Police officers confirmed. However, as a precaution, security has been stepped up at all Metro stations, the Red Fort and the Delhi Assembly, the officers said, adding that the schools were also asked to remain vigilant since the emails warned of explosions in the “next three days”.

More than 500 such threat cases were reported last year, and in the past two weeks alone, at least four similar threats have been received by Delhi-NCR schools.