A school in Patiala, Punjab, was thrown into panic on Tuesday after receiving a bomb threat via email, marking the third such alarming incident targeting educational institutions in the state within a span of just 11 days. This follows similar threats received by schools in Amritsar and Jalandhar earlier this month.
Immediate Evacuation and Intensive Search
The threat landed in the official inbox of Ryan International Global School in Urban Estate Phase-2, Patiala, around 9:30 am. Acting swiftly, the school administration evacuated the campus to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Patiala police responded within minutes of being alerted. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma confirmed that an anti-sabotage team, along with bomb detection equipment and sniffer dogs, conducted a thorough search of the premises. Specialised gear, including a Non-Linear Junction Detector (NLJD), was deployed to scan for any explosive devices.
"The threat was treated with utmost seriousness. Our anti-sabotage team reached the spot immediately... No explosive device was found during the checking," stated SSP Varun Sharma.
Precautionary Holiday and Cyber Investigation
Despite finding nothing suspicious, authorities advised the school to declare a holiday for Tuesday as a precautionary measure. The SSP noted that while only one school received the direct threat, several other institutions in the area also opted for a holiday, prompting an appeal to the public not to panic.
The focus has now shifted to the digital realm. The Punjab Police's cyber wing has launched an investigation to trace the origin of the threatening email. Efforts are on to identify the IP address and pinpoint the location, including the country and state, from where it was sent.
"Similar bomb threat emails have been received by schools in other cities as well in recent days," added SSP Sharma, highlighting a concerning pattern.
A Pattern of Hoax Threats Across Punjab
This incident is part of a disturbing series of hoaxes that have disrupted school operations and caused widespread anxiety in Punjab:
- On December 12: Several prominent schools in Amritsar received bomb threat emails, leading to mass evacuations and closures.
- On December 14: As many as 11 schools in Jalandhar were targeted with similar threats, forcing another round of emergency searches and safety holidays.
In all previous cases, anti-sabotage teams found no explosives. Police officials acknowledge that despite multiple incidents, the source of these emails remains untraced. Investigations are ongoing, and security agencies are maintaining a high state of alert to prevent any potential incident and identify the perpetrators behind these disruptive acts.
