Delhi Schools Receive Bomb Threats Via Email; Emergency SOP Activated, No Explosives Found

Two schools in the national capital one in Chanakyapuri and another in Dwarka received bomb threats via email on Monday, sparking immediate responses from emergency authorities. According to a statement from the police, “The threat was sent to two schools through the mail. One of these is in Chanakyapuri and the other in Dwarka. Nothing suspicious has been found so far during the search.”

While the search operations yielded no explosives, the event triggered a serious test of the 115-point Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued in May by the Directorate of Education (DoE). The SOP was developed following the directions of the Delhi High Court, in consultation with national and local security agencies, and applies to all government, aided, minority, and recognised unaided private schools across Delhi.

In accordance with the SOP, every threat must be treated as real, and schools have an obligation to notify authorities immediately without causing panic with the students. Schools need to have a strategy in place for how threats are handled. Schools must have regular mock drills, video surveillance, a strict access policy, and pre-identified evacuation routes. Additionally, proving services for children with disabilities and keeping contact information up to date of the parents/guardians.

The responsibility of managing emergencies is with the school heads; teachers and pupils are supposed to act according to protocols. In cases like Monday’s, when a threat is received, the Delhi Police would secure the area check the threat, with assistance from the fire service, and look to ensure a swifter response and access.

The SOP is segmented into four areas: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Once the incident has transpired, the schools are required to provide counseling to the affected individuals, and only after ensuring total safety can they resume classes.

Following the incident, a forensic team entered the premises of the school once again, to conduct a thorough check of the school. There were no suspicious objects at either site. At this point, the threat is being accounted for as a false alert. The police investigation into the emails is ongoing.

While some private schools have claimed that they follow all the safety measures listed in the SOP, parent associations and safety groups have raised concerns about infrastructure gaps and the lack of a monitoring mechanism to track SOP compliance across all institutions.

This incident adds to a growing number of bomb threats received by schools in Delhi this year. It underscores the urgency for transparent implementation of the SOP and better safety preparedness in educational spaces, as highlighted by both state authorities and education stakeholders.

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