Parents, students panic as over 60 Delhi and Bengaluru schools receive bomb threats

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Panic swept through over 60 schools across Delhi and Bengaluru on Friday morning as anonymous bomb threat emails forced evacuations, police action, and deep concern among parents. While authorities confirmed all alerts were hoaxes, the disturbing trend has unsettled school communities, especially as Delhi has seen a spate of similar threats in recent days.

In Bengaluru, more than 40 private schools, including institutions in Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Kengeri, were targeted via a chillingly worded email that claimed explosive devices were hidden in classrooms. Meanwhile, 20 schools in Delhi, including Richmond Global School in Paschim Vihar and Modern International School in Dwarka, also received the same threat, leading to immediate lockdowns and evacuations.

The email, which Delhi Police later confirmed to be identical across most schools, carried an unhinged rant threatening mass casualties and included references to mental health struggles and suicide. "You all deserve to suffer," it read. "I have placed several explosive devices (trinitrotoluene) within school classrooms... Not a single soul will survive."

Authorities responded swiftly. Bomb disposal squads, fire services, and law enforcement teams combed the campuses but found no traces of any explosive materials. All schools were eventually declared safe.

Delhi on Edge After Repeated Threats

The National Capital has been under a wave of similar hoax threats this week — the fourth such incident in the last seven days. Institutions like St. Xavier’s School, IP College for Women, Hindu College, and Shri Ram College of Commerce were among the latest to be affected. Earlier this week, St. Stephen’s College and St. Thomas School were also threatened, with emails falsely claiming multiple IEDs and RDX devices were planted and would detonate by 2 pm.

Following Friday’s threat, several parents opted to keep their children at home.

“I did not send my son today. It’s not panic — it’s caution after repeated threats,” said Parmita Sharma, whose child studies at Richmond Global School.

Vikram Singh, a parent from Rohini, echoed this concern. “These hoaxes are mentally taxing for both children and parents. Even if there’s no actual danger, the fear lingers,” he said.

Mixed Response from Schools

Some schools like Sovereign Public School in Rohini resumed classes after security checks. Chairperson R.K. Jindal said emergency preparedness drills conducted earlier this year helped manage the situation calmly.

Others, including Maxfort Junior School in Pitampura and Cambridge Foundation School in Rajouri Garden, took a more cautious approach, evacuating students and suspending classes temporarily.

Delhi Police confirmed that over 45 schools in the capital were targeted in Friday's episode alone. “All threats have been found to be hoaxes. Our cyber teams are tracing the origin of these emails,” a senior official said.

Political Reactions and Public Outcry

The repeated incidents sparked political reactions. Former Delhi Education Minister and AAP MLA Atishi criticized the BJP-led central administration for its inability to ensure student safety.

“More than 20 schools have received bomb threats today! Think of the trauma children, parents and teachers are going through,” she posted on X. “BJP controls all four engines of governance in Delhi, yet our schools remain vulnerable.”

Mental Health Undercurrent in Threats

Authorities have also noted the dark mental health themes in the emails, which include anger at psychiatric professionals and institutions. “These messages point to someone in deep psychological distress. We are taking this angle seriously in our investigation,” said a police source.

(with input from agencies)