Bengaluru city found itself gripped with tension as more than 15 schools received bomb threats through anonymous emails on Friday. The first wave targeted seven schools, including prominent institutions like Napel and Vidyashilpa in Basaveshwar Nagar. Among the alarmed parents and school authorities was Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, as one of the threatened schools is located opposite his residence. Despite initial uncertainties, authorities are taking every precaution to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Source: India Today
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The unsettling chain of events began with seven schools, including those frequented by the city’s youth in Basaveshwar Nagar, becoming the initial targets of ominous threats. Notably, one of these schools is situated just across from the residence of Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar. The deputy Chief minister expressed his concern, stating, “I was watching TV, the school opposite to my house also got a threat mail. I came here to check.” He urged caution, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, saying, “Till now, it seems like a threat call. But we have to be very cautious about it.”
Source: Mint
The alarming situation escalated as more educational institutions received similar threats via email shortly thereafter. Reacting promptly, Bengaluru Police initiated evacuations of students and staff from the targeted schools as a precautionary measure to ensure their safety. While anxiety permeated through the affected schools, authorities worked diligently to address the threats.
Despite early indications that the bomb threats might be hoaxes, Bengaluru Police opted for a thorough approach. Bomb Disposal Squads were deployed to conduct meticulous searches of the school premises. As of now, authorities have not confirmed the presence of any actual bombs in any of the schools. Bengaluru Police Commissioner took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the situation, stating, “Certain schools in Bengaluru city have received emails today morning indicating ‘bomb threat’. Anti-sabotage and bomb detection squads have been pressed into service to verify and ascertain. The calls seem to be a hoax. Even then, all efforts will be made to trace the culprits.”
Source: Hindustan Times
This incident is not the first of its kind in Bengaluru. Last year, several private schools in the city faced similar email threats, all of which ultimately proved to be hoaxes. The recurrence of such incidents raises concerns about the ease with which anonymous threats can be made and the challenges authorities face in discerning genuine threats from false alarms.
