Over 40 Delhi schools receive bomb threats; students, staff evacuated

New Delhi: More than 40 schools in Delhi, including DPS RK Puram and GD Goenka School in Paschim Vihar, received bomb threats via email on Monday morning, prompting an urgent evacuation of students and staff, according to authorities.

The threats disrupted the busy morning hours as school buses arrived, parents dropped off their children, and staff prepared for the school day.

The Delhi Fire Department received the first alert from GD Goenka School at 6:15 a.m., followed by a second notification from DPS RK Puram at 7:06 a.m.

Emergency response teams, including bomb detection units, dog squads, and local police, were swiftly dispatched to both schools. A comprehensive search operation was carried out, and no suspicious items were discovered, confirmed a police official.

Students were sent home as a precaution, raising fresh concerns about security in Delhi's educational institutions.

This incident is not the first of its kind to disrupt schools in Delhi. In October, an explosion outside a CRPF school in Rohini’s Prashant Vihar damaged the school wall, nearby shops, and vehicles. The following day, another email threatened bomb blasts at all CRPF schools, which was later found to be a hoax.

The frequency of such threats has been increasing, affecting schools, hospitals, and airports across India.

In response to these recurring threats, the Delhi High Court last month directed the government to develop a comprehensive action plan, including a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to handle bomb threats and similar emergencies.

Justice Sanjeev Narula, presiding over a public interest litigation (PIL) on the matter, stressed the importance of a detailed SOP that outlines the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies, school management, and municipal authorities for seamless coordination during such emergencies.

The court also suggested creating a grievance redressal mechanism to address concerns from affected parties. Feedback collected through this mechanism would be used to refine the action plan to better tackle evolving security challenges.

As investigations into the recent threats continue, authorities are working on enhancing preparedness to minimize disruptions from such incidents in the future.

With IANS inputs