A series of alarming bomb threat emails sent on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, threw the judicial complexes in North Karnataka into chaos, leading to immediate evacuations and the suspension of court proceedings. The primary target was the circuit bench of the Karnataka High Court located in Dharwad.
Panic and Precautionary Evacuation
Security personnel and court authorities swung into action as soon as the threatening emails were received. Following standard operating procedures for such security scares, the entire premises of the High Court bench in Dharwad was swiftly evacuated. Lawyers, litigants, court staff, and judges were all moved to safety as a precautionary measure.
The threat was not isolated to Dharwad. Similar emails also targeted the district court complexes in Gadag and Bagalkot, spreading panic across the region's judicial infrastructure. This multi-location threat prompted a coordinated security response.
Judicial Work Grinds to a Halt
The immediate consequence of the bomb scare was a complete disruption of judicial work. All court proceedings at the affected complexes were suspended for the remainder of the day. This caused significant inconvenience to hundreds of people who had arrived for their hearings, leading to case delays and underscoring the vulnerability of public institutions to such threats.
Police and bomb detection and disposal squads (BDDS) were rushed to all three locations – Dharwad, Gadag, and Bagalkot. A thorough search operation was launched to sweep the court buildings and surrounding areas for any suspicious objects. The authorities have registered a case and initiated a probe to trace the origin of the threatening emails.
Security Review and Ongoing Investigation
While no explosive device was found during the searches, the incident has raised serious concerns about the security protocols at vital government installations. The Karnataka High Court administration and local police are likely to review and tighten access control and surveillance measures in the aftermath.
The investigation, currently in its preliminary stages, aims to identify the individuals or groups behind the hoax threats. Sending bomb threats is a serious criminal offence, and the perpetrators, once caught, will face stringent legal action. The incident on January 6, 2026, serves as a stark reminder of the challenges in maintaining security in an increasingly digital world.
