Fear spread after a private school in Nashik received a bomb threat sent through the mail. Police said that the Indiranagar Police Station received the threat email at around 2.45 AM, sent from a fake email address, claiming there was a bomb in the bathroom of Nasik Cambridge High School located on Vada Pathri Road.
However, after a two-hour investigation and search on the school premises, it was confirmed that the threat was a hoax. Police added that no suspicious objects were found, confirming the school is safe.
They added that the investigation is still underway, with the cyber police station assisting in tracing the fake email address.
Last week, on September 13, bomb threat emails were also sent to Delhi’s Taj Palace. They were also declared a hoax.
Bomb threats cannot be taken lightly, especially when they are sent to airlines, schools and hotels. However, its frequency and impact can be minimised. For this, the Government has issued guidelines. Before analysing it, let us discuss the reasons why the government struggles to curb the threats.
Why Govt Struggles To Detect Bomb Threats
Technology Barriers – Technology barriers are one of the major obstacles to detecting threats because most threats are sent via email, VPNs, and encrypted routes, which makes tracing the path difficult.
Foreign Source – Many servers used to send emails are outside India’s jurisdiction. It’s time-consuming to trace the location and to access data due to intergovernmental approval.
Government’s Approach Is Reactive, Not Preventive – As per the guidelines, the current approach to dealing with the bomb threats focuses on evacuations, searches, and verification, not deterrence.
Legal Challenges – According to data available, in 2024, only 13 people were arrested out of 728 airline bomb threat cases.
Lack of Public Awareness and Deterrence – Many threats originate from students or pranksters, who may not grasp the serious legal consequences.
Government’s Advisory To Curb Hoax Bomb Threats On Social Media
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued an advisory emphasising the responsibility of intermediaries, including social media platforms, to curb the spread of hoax bomb threats by the various airlines operating in India.
The Ministry has stressed that social media intermediaries must adhere to the IT Act, 2000, the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and these platforms are required to promptly remove unlawful content to maintain public order and security.
The Ministry has reiterated the following key responsibilities for intermediaries, including social media intermediaries.
Prompt Removal of Misinformation: Intermediaries, including social media intermediaries, must observe their due diligence obligations and disable or remove access to unlawful information, including hoax bomb threats, within strict timelines.
Reporting of Offences under Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023: Intermediaries must report activities or acts that threaten or are likely to threaten the unity, integrity, sovereignty, security, or economic security of India.
Cooperation with Government Agencies: Social media intermediaries are required to provide relevant information and assistance to authorised government agencies within stipulated time frames (as soon as possible but not later than 72 hours) to aid in investigations or cybersecurity efforts.
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