Bomb threat emails sent to 13 Gurugram schools, police declare hoax

Emails were received around 7.08am, triggering evacuations and checks by BDDS, sniffer dogs and SDRF teams before classes resumed or holidays declared.

Panic briefly gripped parts of Gurugram on Wednesday after at least 13 private schools in the city received bomb threat emails. However, police dismissed the threats as hoaxes after conducting sweeping security checks.

Police said the emails originated from the United States and were sent in batches. An FIR under BNS cyber terrorism provisions has been registered. (HT)

According to the district administration, the emails were received by schools across different parts of the city at around 7:08 am.

In response, police teams, including, bomb detection and disposal squads (BDDS), sniffer dogs and quick response units, were rushed to the schools, the premises were cordoned off and thoroughly checked, officials said.

“Upon receiving the information, security protocols were immediately activated. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was also assisting in sanitisation operations,” an official statement said, adding that the situation remained under close monitoring.

While they were later declared a hoax, the threats are still being assessed with a cyber team carrying out a technical examination of the emails. They have been traced to have originated in the United States, officials said.

While police did not disclose the names of all the schools, the emails, sent in batches to schools and seen by HT, showed that Pathways Schools on Faridabad - Gurgaon Rd, Shalom Hills International School in Sushant Lok Phase I, Sherwood Convent School in Sector 25, Euro International School in Sector 109, Kunskapsskolan School in DLF Phase 1, Vega Schools in Sector 48, GEMS International School in Palam Vihar, as well as Manav Rachna in the neighbouring district of Faridabad were among those that received the email.

The administrations of the other schools asked for the institutions not to be named.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP - south) Hitesh Yadav said that six schools in the southern zone received the threat from the same sender at the same time.

Despite the emails being a hoax, officials said, all standard safety protocols, including evacuation, sanitisation and combing of school premises were followed.

In several schools, students were evacuated, bus services were suspended, and parents were asked to pick the students from designated bus stops. Parents, whose children had already reached schools, were asked to pick them up after checks were completed.

A senior school officialof Sector 57said, “Students were under constant supervision and police teams carried out checks. There was no panic inside the campus.”

While some schools later resumed operations, at others, such as Kunskapsskolan Schools, authorities declared a holiday after consulting the police. “We were advised to keep the students out of the building until the entire campus was screened. Given the cold weather, it was not practical to keep them outdoors, so we declared a holiday,” said director Kunal Bhadoo told HT.

An investigation is being carried into the origin of the emails, officials said.

“Details of all the emails have been shared with the cybercrime team to trace the sender,” said DCP Hitesh Yadav.

Gurugram police public relations officer Sandeep Turan said that the cybercrime unit has traced the origin of the emails to the United States.

“An FIR under Section 113(2)(b) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (cyber terrorism) has been registered against unknown persons at the Cybercrime (East) police station. Further investigation is underway to identify the sender,” he said.

Bomb threat at Dwarka Court Complex

The Dwarka Court Complex on Wednesday also slipped into chaos after a bomb threat email claiming links to a Khalistani group was received, triggering a two-hour long evacuation and search, police said. “Nothing suspicious was found and the threat was declared a hoax,” a Delhi Police officer said, adding a probe is on to trace the sender.

At around 9.30am, a staffer spotted the threat email and alerted authorities; the sender accused the judiciary and lawyers of opposing Khalistan.