School’s in session but not in Delhi as many of them continue to receive hoax bomb threats creating panic among students and staff. Several schools in the national capital have been receiving bomb threat emails, disrupting classes and causing unnecessary alarm.
On Friday, many schools received hoax bomb threats, making the 11th such case in just a week. Security personnel conducted search operations at the schools, but nothing suspicious was found. “We received a call regarding the bomb threat at 5:02 am from DPS, Dwarka, in Sector 23,” the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) official said.
Last week, at least
six schools received bomb threats, forcing the suspension of classes and prompting police as well as fire department officials to carry out an extensive search of the premises.
While the Delhi Police respond swiftly to distress calls made by schools that are victims of such threats, it has not been able to address the issue so far. Also, this is not the first time Delhi schools have received bomb threats. The issue has troubled different schools across the city all year long with at least
100 schools receiving bomb threats in May alone.
Earlier this year, the Delhi High Court sought a report from the city police and Delhi government on how they plan to tackle the problem of hoax bomb threats in schools.
The court was responding to a petition filed by a parent demanding a “detailed action plan” to deal with the issue.
It also urged for the establishment of a “proper response plan which can be uniformly implemented” across the city in case of a real threat.
In July, the city police told the Delhi High Court that it has prepared an action plan to deal with bomb threat calls made to schools as well as a procedure to be followed in cases of “hoax calls”.
In a status report filed in response to a petition raising concerns regarding bomb threats in schools this year, the Delhi Police said it has bomb disposal squads and bomb disposal teams to deal with such threats and incidents in terms of a standard operating procedure in place.
“Police has dedicated Bomb Disposal Squads (BDS) and Bomb Disposal Teams (BDTs) which have the responsibility to deal with bomb threats and bomb-related incidents in Delhi for which a detailed Standing Operating Procedure has already been laid down,” the status report said.
“Action Plan has been prepared highlighting the steps to be taken by different stakeholders on receipt of a bomb call. Further, a circular has been drafted highlighting the procedure to be followed by Delhi Police after a bomb call being declared as a Hoax Call,” it added.
Hoax bomb threats were not just sent to Delhi schools this year but also to several Indian airlines leading to disruptions in flight schedules and other services.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said last month that Indian airlines and airports received a whopping 999 hoax bomb threats this year, 10 times more than what it received last year.
The minister stated that the police have registered 256 complaints and arrested 12 individuals in connection with these threats.
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