Mohali Bomb Threat Hoax Targets Hospital Treating CM Mann and Schools During Exams
A chilling email threatening to blow up a private hospital where Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is undergoing treatment, along with several nearby schools, sent security forces into high alert in Mohali on Tuesday. Despite the grave nature of the threat, authorities made the calculated decision not to evacuate the schools as crucial board examinations were actively underway.
High-Stakes Security Response Amid Critical Events
Mohali Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal emphasized the seriousness with which the threat was treated. "The email was taken very seriously as this time we faced two important events – the CM's admission to a private hospital and schoolchildren undergoing board examinations," Mittal stated. "Given that the previous two threats were hoaxes, this time we decided to first conduct thorough checks before considering school evacuations. As the email turned out to be a hoax, schools were not evacuated."
The threat message, which reportedly arrived in the name of the so-called ‘Khalistan National Army’, prompted an immediate and robust security mobilization. With the Chief Minister's presence at the private hospital, security was significantly tightened, and the entire area was placed under a stringent high-alert status as a precautionary measure.
Widespread Threat Targets Educational Institutions
Deputy Commissioner Mittal confirmed that this latest threat email was sent to approximately 15 to 16 private schools and two government schools in the district. This incident mirrors a similar event from February 11, when 18 schools in Mohali district received comparable bomb threat emails, which were later verified as hoaxes.
Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans detailed the police response, noting that despite the potential for the threat to be non-credible, law enforcement is not taking any chances. Bomb disposal squads and sniffer dog teams were swiftly deployed to the hospital premises and the adjoining educational institutions to conduct exhaustive searches.
Cyber Investigation and Public Assurance
Superintendent of Police Dilpreet Singh provided technical details about the threat's origin. "This time also the email generation IP address is from the US as a spoofed mail, and the recovery email originated from Bangladesh. Today's mail is a copy-paste of the previous email, mentioning 16 schools and 2 government schools," SP Dilpreet explained.
He further confirmed that specialized cyber teams are meticulously examining the source of the threat message to trace and identify those responsible for this alarming act. Deputy Superintendent of Police Harsimran Singh Bal addressed public concerns, urging citizens to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified rumors while the investigation progresses.
DSP Bal acknowledged that a section of parents rushed to the schools upon hearing about the "bomb threat," but he assured them of their children's safety, emphasizing that proper security protocols were firmly established and followed throughout the incident.
Officials indicated that similar threat messages have been received in the past in both Mohali and Chandigarh, all of which ultimately proved to be hoaxes. This pattern underscores the challenges faced by security agencies in distinguishing credible threats from malicious pranks, especially during sensitive periods involving high-profile individuals and critical academic examinations.
