Several schools in Delhi, mayor’s office receive hoax bomb threats

At least a dozen schools and the mayor’s office were sent emails on Monday morning warning of bomb blasts at Red Fort, the schools, as well as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and mayor’s offices any day between August 3-15(Independence Day)

At least a dozen schools and the mayor’s office were sent emails on Monday morning warning of bomb blasts at Red Fort, the schools, as well as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and mayor’s offices any day between August 3-15(Independence Day). They triggered thorough searches and anti-sabotage checking of all the structures after which they were declared hoaxes as nothing suspicious was found, according to at least three police officers aware of the matter.

An investigation is ongoing to ascertain the identities of the suspects behind the emails and from where they were sent. According to one officer, the emails were all sent from the same Gmail ID, “larry obanion” between 9.07 and 10.02am. They warned of a bomb blast at schools at 1.11pm; the MCD office at 2.11pm; and at the mayor’s office at 3.11pm.

Police did not name the schools which received the threats.

Officials said emergency response teams followed standard operating procedures by securing the campuses, evacuating students and staff, and conducting thorough searches of classrooms, administrative blocks and surrounding areas. Anti-sabotage check drills were carried out by police personnel along with bomb detection and disposal squads, sniffer dogs.

In a statement, MCD said this was the eighth threat sent to the mayor’s office. “Given the repeated nature of these incidents, the mayor’s office had earlier submitted a formal letter to the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, requesting a detailed investigation to identify those responsible and to ensure strict and effective legal action against them. Repeated threats targeting public institutions and offices associated with constitutional authorities are a matter of serious concern. Those responsible must be identified at the earliest and dealt with firmly under the law, so that such malicious acts intended to create fear and disrupt public functioning can be effectively prevented in the future,” the statement said.