18 schools evacuated in Gujarat after bomb threat emails; FIR filed
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Vadodara: More than 18 schools in Vadodara city and district were evacuated on Monday morning after receiving emails threatening simultaneous bomb blasts. Police and cybercrime units have launched an investigation into the origin of the emails and registered an FIR in connection with the case.
According to police officials, 14 schools in Vadodara city and at least four schools under the Vadodara district police jurisdiction received similar emails on Monday morning, just a day before the Central Board of Secondary Education board examinations for Classes 10 and 12 are scheduled to begin.
The schools that received the threats include DR Amin School, Urmi School, Nalanda School, Baroda High School (Bagikhana), Navyug School, Jeevan Sadhna, Shanen School, Bright Day School, Atmiya Vidyalaya, Don Bosco Makarpura, Billabong, Auxilium Convent, Zenith School, American School, Green Valley School, GPS, and AWS Dabhoi.
Vadodara City Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar visited Don Bosco School in Makarpura following the threat. He confirmed that an FIR had been lodged and an investigation initiated to trace the source of the emails.
“We have completed sanitisation of nine schools, and checks at other campuses are ongoing. A criminal case has been registered at the cybercrime police station. The Cybercrime Police Station, CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team), and I4C (Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre), along with other related agencies, will conduct an in-depth probe to trace the origin of the emails, identify the sender, and determine their objective,” Komar said.
He added that authorities would make all efforts to prevent any further action. “We have received such emails in the past. Based on the content, it appears to be a mischievous act, but the police have taken it seriously. We have assured school managements and parents that all steps are being taken to ensure academic sessions and scheduled examinations proceed smoothly,” he said.
Senior police officers stated that the emails, received around 7 am in most schools, warned that bombs would detonate at 1.11 pm. The message also claimed that explosives had been planted in cars and school buses in schools in Ahmedabad and Vadodara.
Teams from the city police and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads were deployed to conduct thorough checks across campuses. Officials noted that managing simultaneous inspections at multiple premises posed logistical challenges.
“The emails were received in succession around the same time. Cybercrime officials are analysing the content, timing, and origin. Local police units have been dispatched to check for suspicious objects and secure the areas. So far, no suspicious items have been found,” a senior Vadodara city police officer said.
Most schools dismissed students for the day, asking parents to collect their children.
“The email was received in our office shortly after school began. We immediately informed the police and decided to disperse students in the interest of safety. Parents were contacted, and children were handed over safely to avoid any untoward incident,” a principal of a school in Vadodara city said.