15 Bengaluru schools get bomb threat on email; over 5,000 children, staff evacuated

On a Friday morning, there was massive chaos at the premises of at least 15 schools in Karnataka’s Bengaluru. More than 5,000 students and staff were hurriedly evacuated when the administrative staff received a bomb threat via email.

There was panic among students, parents and school authorities who immediately informed the police. At the time of filing this report, anti-sabotage and bomb squads of Bengaluru police were conducting checks in these schools.

Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayananda said, many anti-sabotage teams were scanning the school premises and they found no suspicious objects.

“As of now, it looks like a hoax-message. We will complete the search operation soon. However, we request parents not to panic,” the senior cop said.

Looking into all aspects: Karnataka govt

Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara said, “At present, we have received information about 15 schools where threatening e-mails have been received, last year also such threats were received. We cannot take any risk, we are inspecting the schools and are taking all precautionary measures in schools. We will take strict action against those who are making threatening calls. We are looking into all aspects.”

VIDEO | Over 10 schools in Bengaluru receive bomb threats via email. Police conducting a probe into an apparent case of a hoax call. pic.twitter.com/boSsyKG9kj

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 1, 2023

Email sent from different addresses

A report by The Indian Express quoted sources in Bengaluru Police saying the emails received on Friday were sent from various addresses with masking of the IP address of origin of the emails.

Bengaluru schools on alert after bomb threat email

Initially, the email of bomb threats was received by seven schools, including Napel and Vidyashilpa in Basaveshwar Nagar. One of the schools that received the threats is situated next to the residence of Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar.

#WATCH | Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar visits a school in Bengaluru after several schools received threatening e-mails. pic.twitter.com/7y3ReGOtAt

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2023

Soon, more educational institutions complained of receiving similar threats via email.

B Dayananda said the email threats appeared similar to last year’s when miscreants had sent similar threat emails to many schools in the city.

On 8 April 2022, at least 16 schools in Bengaluru received hoax bomb threat emails between 11 am to 2:30 pm.

“A very powerful bomb has been planted in your school, attention is not a joke, this is not a joke, a very powerful bomb has been planted in your school, immediately call the police and sappers, hundreds of lives may suffer including yours, do not delay, now everything is only in your hands!” the email read.