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, triggering a swift evacuation of students and staff, according to the authorities. 
The threats disrupted the peak morning hours as school buses arrived, parents dropped off children, and staff prepared for the day.
The Delhi Fire Department received the first alert from GD Goenka School at 6.15 am, followed by a second call from DPS RK Puram at 7.06 am.
An anonymous sender demanded a ransom of $30,000 and warned that failure to comply would result in the detonation of the bombs. The email also mentioned that the bombs were small and very well-hidden. 
Emergency response teams, including bomb detection squads, dog units, and local police, were immediately dispatched to both campuses. A thorough search operation was conducted, and no suspicious objects were found, a police official confirmed.
Students were sent home as a precautionary measure, and the incident has heightened concerns about security in the city's educational institutions.
This is not the first instance of such threats disrupting schools in Delhi. In October, an explosion outside a CRPF school in Rohini&rsquo;s Prashant Vihar caused damage to the school wall, nearby shops, and vehicles.
The next day, another email threatened bomb blasts at all CRPF schools, though this later turned out to be a hoax.
The frequency of such bomb threats has increased, not only in Delhi but across the country, targeting schools, hospitals, and airports.
In response to these recurring incidents, the Delhi High Court last month directed the government to devise a comprehensive action plan, including a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), to manage bomb threats and similar emergencies.
Justice Sanjeev Narula, presiding over a public interest litigation (PIL) on the matter, emphasized the need for a detailed SOP outlining the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies, school management, and municipal authorities to ensure seamless coordination during such emergencies.
The court also recommended establishing a mechanism to redress grievances to address concerns raised by affected parties. The feedback collected through this mechanism would help refine the action plan to address evolving security challenges effectively.
As investigations into the latest threats continue, authorities are focusing on enhancing preparedness to mitigate disruptions caused by such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came down heavily on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and questioned the law and order situation in the national capital. 
Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to X and wrote, &ldquo;The people of Delhi have never seen such a bad state of law and order before. Amit Shah ji should come forward and answer the people of Delhi.&rdquo; 
Chief Minister Atishi also questioned Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Centre over rise in murder, ransom, bomb threats in Delhi.&nbsp;
&mdash;IANS

Delhi Public School RK Puram was one of the schools that received a bomb threat

Students, staff sent home as precautionary measure; investigation underway

40 Delhi Schools Receive Bomb Threats

Students, staff sent home as precautionary measure; investigation underway

December 9, 2024 | 17:13 IST