Weeks following a series of bomb hoaxes that caused panic at numerous schools in Delhi, the city police have revealed a detailed plan devised by a minor to avoid exams at his school. The Class 12 student has been apprehended following the discovery of his involvement in the bomb threats that prompted the city administration to be on high alert for multiple days.
He sent bomb threat emails on at least six occasions, each time targeting different schools besides his own. To prevent raising any suspicion, he consistently included several schools in the emails, officials noted, mentioning that he once emailed 23 schools.
Authorities stated that the student was unwilling to attend the school exam and created a plan to fabricate bomb threats, believing this would interfere with the exams and lead to their cancellation.
Several political leaders, including Delhi Ministers, have criticized the Delhi Police for their failure to manage the bomb threats to schools and the worsening law and order situation in the city.
In recent weeks, numerous bomb hoaxes had left authorities vigilant, with former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal stating that Delhi had never experienced such a poor law and order situation.
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Students were evacuated as the bomb squad and sniffer dogs conducted searches on campuses. At the end of the day, they would have nothing questionable, but a day would be squandered granting students an unexpected holiday.
In an incident that occurred last month, more than 40 schools – such as DPS RK Puram and GD Goenka School in Paschim Vihar – were sent a bomb threat through email. The email indicated that miniature explosives were set within the school structures and requested $30,000 for their deactivation.
The bomb threats sparked a political controversy as Chief Minister Atishi criticized the BJP-led central government regarding the law and order issues. The Union Home Ministry oversees the police in the national capital, not the Delhi government.
In response to the numerous fake threats, the city police began training teachers and school personnel to manage such emergencies. A seminar was conducted by the police and the Education department on managing such circumstances.
In addition to schools, numerous airlines experienced a series of bomb hoaxes during this time, causing anxiety in the aviation industry and among law enforcement personnel. It caused emergency landings, altering flight schedules and leading to increased fuel consumption.
Last year, Delhi Police arrested a 25-year-old unemployed man for a bomb hoax, while in a different incident, a 17-year-old dropout was apprehended in Mumbai for attempting to frame a friend by dispatching a threat email.
