District courts in Himachal Pradesh's Shimla, Kullu and Nahan received bomb threats via email on Wednesday that prompted immediate action from the authorities. According to police officials, security personnel quickly evacuated the court complexes in three districts as a precautionary measure. Specialised bomb disposal units and dog squads were deployed at all locations to thoroughly inspect the premises and nearby areas. The police confirmed that detailed searches are currently underway to rule out any potential threat. So far, no explosives or suspicious materials have been discovered during the inspection, they added.
What did the police say?
Speaking to the media, Shimla SP Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said that emails threatening to blow up court premises in several places, including Shimla and Rampur, were received on Wednesday. Preventative actions are being taken, and police teams headed by DSP-level officers are on the spot, he added.
The threat prompted an immediate evacuation and heightened security to ensure the safety of the public and court staff, the police said. SP Gandhi said the Himachal Pradesh Police are coordinating with other states that received similar threats, and an investigation is underway to trace the accused.
Hoax bomb threats
In recent months, similar bomb threats were received at the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, HP Secretariat, and Deputy Commissioner's offices. However, all of them turned out to be hoaxes.
Raj Bhavan, civil courts in Hyderabad receive bomb threats
In a similar incident on Tuesday, the Telangana Raj Bhavan, City Civil Courts and several other locations received bomb threat emails, leading authorities to conduct searches. The Raj Bhavan staff received an email threat, prompting a thorough search of the premises that found nothing suspicious, police said. The email sent to City Civil Court warned of "4 RDX-based IEDs placed in your Civil Court/Judge Chambers and Gymkhana Club. Evacuate all judges/staff soon!”.
(With inputs from PTI)
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