Mohali Bomb Threats Escalate: Hospital Targeted, Public Life Severely Disrupted
Repeated bomb threats in the Mohali region are increasingly causing significant inconvenience to the public, triggering widespread panic and anxiety while severely disrupting normal life. Heightened security arrangements, heavy police deployment, and rigorous checking at key locations have slowed the routine movement of residents, commuters, and patients.
Healthcare Institution Targeted for the First Time
The situation turned more alarming on Tuesday when, for the first time in the district, a healthcare institution was directly targeted. A bomb threat email received at a private hospital created intense panic among patients, attendants, and hospital staff. The movement of patients, particularly those visiting the outpatient department (OPD), was significantly affected as security agencies immediately initiated precautionary measures.
Intensified Security Measures at Hospital Premises
Police teams, accompanied by bomb detection squads and sniffer dog units, were swiftly deployed at the hospital premises. Entry points were sealed, and every individual entering the hospital was stopped for detailed checking. Bags, parcels, and personal belongings were meticulously screened using advanced bomb detection equipment.
The intensified security protocol resulted in long queues at the main gates, causing substantial delays and distress among visitors. Several patients with scheduled appointments, elderly visitors, and those requiring urgent medical care faced considerable inconvenience due to the tightened security measures. Attendants, especially those accompanying critical and post-operative patients, expressed deep concern over the uncertainty and procedural delays.
Police Assure Patient Care Remains Priority
However, the police maintained that patient care remained the utmost priority throughout the incident. Superintendent of Police Dilpreet Singh stated, "We only stopped non-essential services. Utmost care was given to the visiting patients, and it was ensured that they did not face any inconvenience."
Authorities Treat All Threats with Seriousness
Officials reiterated that every bomb threat must be treated with the highest level of seriousness, even though previous bomb threat emails in the region have turned out to be hoaxes. Given the sensitive nature of the locations now being targeted, including healthcare facilities, security agencies emphasized that they cannot afford any lapse in vigilance or response protocols.
The ongoing series of threats has not only strained law enforcement resources but also heightened public anxiety, with residents calling for more robust measures to identify and apprehend those responsible for these disruptive hoaxes.
