Delhi schools receive fifth bomb threat in nine days, searches ongoing

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A fresh wave of bomb threats was reported across multiple schools in Delhi on Tuesday, marking the second such incident within the week and the fifth in just nine days, officials confirmed. This recurring pattern of threats has created alarm among students, parents, and school authorities in the national capital.

According to the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), a call regarding a bomb threat was received from Crescent Public School, located in Saraswati Vihar, northwest Delhi. DFS officials said personnel from the fire department, local police, bomb detection squads, and dog teams swiftly responded to the alert. After a thorough search of the premises, no suspicious items were found, officials reported.

Several other schools across the city also received similar threat emails, as per PTI. Security teams were promptly dispatched, and search operations are ongoing to ensure the safety of students and staff. Authorities have yet to confirm the origin of the threats or any connections between the recent incidents.

This development comes a day after approximately 20 schools, including the prominent Delhi Public School (DPS) in RK Puram, received bomb threat emails on Monday. Similar threats have repeatedly targeted educational institutions over the past week, triggering a multi-agency response and extensive safety inspections.

On December 14, eight schools, including DPS RK Puram, received emails containing threats to detonate "bomb vests," according to officials. A day earlier, on December 13, at least 30 schools had reported receiving similar emails, prompting large-scale searches. Earlier this month, on December 9, as many as 44 schools in Delhi received threat emails, leading to widespread panic and disruptions in academic schedules.

As per PTI, the Delhi Police Special Cell has taken cognisance of the recurring incidents and registered an FIR following the December 9 threats. Investigations have been launched to identify the source and motive behind the emails. Officials remain on high alert, working in coordination with various agencies to address the issue.

In a separate development, schools in Delhi-NCR on Tuesday shifted to a hybrid mode of conducting classes due to anti-pollution measures imposed under Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Under these measures, physical attendance for students in classes 6 to 9 and 11 has been made optional, while hybrid (physical and online) learning remains in place. However, students in grades 10 and 12 are required to attend classes in person.

(With inputs from PTI)