Bomb Threats Target 18 Uttar Pradesh District Courts, ISI Mentioned in Lucknow Email
Early Monday morning, lower courts in at least 18 districts of Uttar Pradesh received bomb threat emails, triggering immediate security responses and intensive searches across judicial premises. This alarming development has raised serious concerns about coordinated attempts to disrupt judicial functioning in India's most populous state.
Affected Districts and Immediate Response
Among the districts that received the threatening communications were Lucknow, Ayodhya, Moradabad, Azamgarh, Meerut, Amroha, and Varanasi, along with several others, according to official statements. Police sources confirmed that the emails arrived in the early hours, specifically warning of explosions inside district court complexes.
Court authorities immediately alerted local police and administrative officials upon receiving the threats. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads, and local police teams conducted thorough searches of court premises before regular judicial proceedings could begin. Security personnel monitored all entry and exit points while implementing strict screening procedures for litigants and lawyers attempting to enter the facilities.
Pattern of Threats and Investigation Progress
Officials revealed this was not an isolated incident. Similar threat emails were received just two days earlier, with four district courts in Uttar Pradesh receiving comparable bomb threats via email on Friday. This pattern suggests a possible coordinated campaign to spread panic and disrupt judicial operations across the state.
Cybercrime teams are actively tracing IP addresses and email origins to identify the source of these threats. Despite extensive searches, police confirmed that no suspicious objects have been recovered from any of the district courts so far. The Anti-Terrorism Squad has established a dedicated unit to investigate the threat emails sent to multiple districts.
Heightened Security Measures and Monitoring
Senior police officials at the Director General of Police headquarters stated they are closely monitoring the situation across all affected districts. The cyber cell has been instructed to assist the ongoing investigation alongside district police units and the Anti-Terrorism Squad. Security protocols have been significantly enhanced at judicial facilities throughout Uttar Pradesh.
Lucknow Court Receives Second Threat with ISI Mention
In a particularly concerning development, the district court complex in Lucknow received another bomb threat via email on Monday morning. This marked the second such threat directed at the Lucknow court within just three days. The threatening message reportedly mentioned Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), intensifying concerns among security authorities about potential international dimensions to the threats.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (West Zone) Vishwajeet Srivastava detailed the immediate response: "As soon as the email was received, police and district administration officials swung into action." Teams from local police, dog squads, and bomb disposal units rushed to the court complex and launched an extensive search operation. The entire premises underwent thorough inspection, with security significantly tightened at all access points.
Following detailed examination, officials confirmed that no suspicious objects or persons were found at the Lucknow court complex. However, the repeated threats and specific mention of a foreign intelligence agency have elevated security concerns substantially. The investigation continues as authorities work to identify the source of these threats and prevent any potential disruption to judicial proceedings across Uttar Pradesh.
