Panic gripped the national capital on Wednesday morning as more than 50 schools received bomb threat emails, forcing urgent evacuations and large-scale search operations by police and fire services.
The first alert came at 7:40 am from Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya in Malviya Nagar, followed minutes later by Andhra School in Prasad Nagar. By mid-morning, dozens of other institutions across Delhi had reported similar emails.
The threatening messages, sent by a group calling itself “Terrorizers 111”, claimed explosives had been planted inside classrooms, auditoriums, staff rooms, and school buses. The group also alleged it had hacked school IT systems, stolen student and staff databases, and gained access to surveillance cameras.
The emails demanded USD 25,000 within 48 hours, warning of “immediate detonation” and data leaks if their demands were not met. “Payment is your only option,” the message read.
Police and fire services responded immediately. Students and staff were evacuated, and bomb disposal squads, along with local police, carried out extensive checks. Four buses were arranged to transport rescued students home safely.
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This is not an isolated incident. On Monday (Aug 18), more than 30 schools had received similar threats from the same group, demanding USD 5,000 in cryptocurrency and warning of “pipe bombs and advanced explosive devices” planted inside school premises. Among the institutions targeted were Delhi Public School (Dwarka), BGS International, Dwarka International, Oxford Foundation in Baba Haridas Nagar, Shri Ram International in Najafgarh, and Andhra School in Prasad Nagar. By evening that day, Delhi Police declared the threats a hoax after extensive checks.
Officials note this is now the third major wave of bomb hoaxes in recent months. In July, over 45 schools and three colleges were targeted in a single night. In May 2024, nearly 300 schools across the city received mass threat emails — later confirmed to be false alarms. Even hospitals and museums have been targeted in subsequent threats.
Investigators admit that tracing the culprits is difficult, as they often use foreign domains, darknet platforms, proxy servers, and VPNs to hide their identities.
“The May 2024 emails, for instance, were sent from a foreign domain requiring a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) request, which can take up to two years,” an officer said.
Despite repeated hoaxes, police stressed that every alert is treated seriously. “We cannot risk lives by assuming it’s fake. Every email is investigated until declared otherwise,” a senior officer said.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry, while Delhi Police and the Cyber Cell continue to track the source of the emails.
