Nearly 100 Delhi-NCR schools receive bomb threats possibly through Russian domain, MHA calls mails 'hoax'

Panic gripped Delhi-NCR region after nearly 100 schools received bomb threats on Wednesday morning, reported PTI. As per initial reports, Mother Mary School at Mayur Vihar, Delhi Public School at Dwarka, Sanskriti School in Chanakyapuri, Delhi Public School at Vasant Kunj and Amity School in Saket are some of the schools which received bomb threats via email.

The schools were evacuated after local police were informed about the threat emails.

Lt Governor VK Saxena said that Delhi Police has traced the origin of the bomb threat emails that were sent to multiple schools in Delhi-NCR on Wednesday, and assured that the culprits will be given strict punishment. Officials said the bomb threat appeared to be hoax and said there was no reason to panic.


The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday termed the bomb threat to schools in the city and adjoining areas as a "hoax", and asked people not to panic. Police and security agencies are taking necessary steps as per protocol, the ministry said.

"There is no need to panic. Mails appears to be hoax. Delhi Police and security agencies are taking necessary steps as per protocol," a home ministry official said.

Threats traced to Russia:
The investigation agencies suspect that the email originated from a server located in Russia, sources said to ANI. The sources added that a single IP address was used to send the email to all schools.

The Cyber team of the Delhi Police has also joined the investigation. However, the Police are yet to ascertain whether the email actually originated from Russia.

The police is now tracking the IP address of the email address. Sources have told ANI that these kind of emails are usually send using a VPN connection to enable the sender to mask the original IP address. The Cyber team is confident of tracing the IP address. Sources in the investigation team also say that the Dark Web could have been used to send the threat mail.

In order to cover all flanks different teams of the Delhi Police are working on different aspects of the investigation. The Noida, Ghaziabad, and Delhi police are conducting a joint investigation to address the situation.

Agencies on alert:
All schools have been evacuated after local police was informed about the emails, the police officials said.

"We got information that the same email was sent to several schools at around 4:15 am. We took action and made the decision to close the schools and send the students back home. Checking is underway at all the schools and our technical wing is investigating the email. Through the initial investigation, it seems that this is a mass email...I want to request the students and parents to remain calm and not to panic. We are getting each and every school checked and are in contact with the school administration..." said DCP South West Rohit Meena.

Asking for a report on the bomb threats that was received on Wednesday, LG Saxena in an official said "Spoke to the Police Commissioner and sought a detailed report into the bomb threats at schools in Delhi-NCR." He added that he has directed Delhi Police to carry out a thorough search in school premises, identify the culprits & ensure there are no lapses.


During the initial investigation, police has informed that the threat mail has been sent to many places since yesterday. "Date line is not mentioned and BCC is mentioned in the mail, which means one mail has been sent to many places. At present an investigation is being done," said Delhi Police on the bomb threats received by schools.

"We got a message from the school that due to unavoidable situation, the school will remain closed today. We were not aware of the situation but later we got to know that there was a bomb threat to the school. Recently, some schools received a bomb threat email but it turned out to be a hoax..." said Praveen, parent of a student of DPS Dwarka.

(with agency inputs)