A leading private school in Patiala became the latest target of a bomb hoax on Tuesday, triggering widespread panic and a massive security response. The incident follows a disturbing pattern of similar threats emailed to schools across Punjab in recent days.
Panic and Evacuation in Urban Estate
The scare began when the school, located in Urban Estate, Phase II, received a threatening email on its official ID at 9:30 am on Tuesday. The message warned of explosions during specific hours, leading to the immediate evacuation of all students and staff as a precautionary measure.
Patiala's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma stated that the threat was treated with the utmost seriousness. Authorities swiftly deployed anti-sabotage squads, bomb disposal teams, and sniffer dogs. Specialised equipment, including non-linear junction detectors, was used to conduct exhaustive searches across the campus and surrounding areas.
No Explosives Found, District on High Alert
After thorough checks, the security teams confirmed that no suspicious objects or explosive materials were found. The threat was declared a hoax. As a safety measure, the school administration decided to keep the institution closed for the remainder of the day, conducting additional rounds of checking.
Police presence was significantly increased not only outside schools but also at key locations like the Patiala railway station and other crowded public places as part of a district-wide security alert. SSP Sharma noted that while the official threat email was received by one school, one or two other institutions in the city also sent students home preemptively.
Cyber Probe Links to Wider Pattern of Hoaxes
The Punjab Police cyber cell has launched a detailed technical investigation to trace the origin of the email. Investigators are examining IP addresses and routing details to identify the sender and their location, whether in another state or country. An FIR has been registered in the case.
Officials highlighted that this incident mirrors a series of recent hoaxes. Several schools in Amritsar received similar bomb threat emails on December 12, followed by 11 schools in Jalandhar on December 14. Investigators are now examining whether the Patiala email follows the same pattern and originates from a common source.
This trend is not confined to Punjab. Educational institutions and courts across India, including in Delhi, have faced similar cyber-enabled threats recently, causing evacuations but never yielding any explosives. The Amritsar police, despite extensive analysis, have reportedly remained "clueless" about the origin of the threats sent there, underscoring the investigative challenges.
Security agencies across major urban centres remain on high alert. Senior officials continue to appeal to the public and parents to remain calm but vigilant, urging schools to report any suspicious communication immediately for swift action.
