The national capital was plunged into a state of heightened alert on Monday as multiple prominent schools, including Army Public School in Dhaula Kuan and Air Force Bal Bharti School on Lodhi Road, received chilling bomb threat emails, prompting immediate evacuations and extensive security sweeps.

The threats, laced with references to “Delhi banega Khalistan” and specific timings for alleged explosions, also targeted the Delhi Secretariat, Vidhan Sabha, Red Fort and several Delhi Metro stations, leading to a massive multi-agency response involving bomb disposal squads, canine units and fire services across the city. While initial searches found no suspicious devices, authorities have ramped up patrols and vigilance, treating the serial hoax as a serious public safety challenge amid rising concerns over cyber-enabled terror intimidation.

Chaos At Schools: Swift Evacuations Save The Day

The ordeal began around 8 AM when official email accounts at Army Public School Delhi Cantonment and Air Force Bal Bharti School received the menacing messages written partially in Punjabi, containing inflammatory Khalistan rhetoric and derogatory references to the Prime Minister. School administrations acted with remarkable speed, alerting Delhi Police control rooms and initiating full-scale evacuations of students and staff despite ongoing classes, ensuring zero panic injuries.

Within minutes, fire tenders rolled in alongside specialised teams from the bomb detection squad, anti-sabotage units and sniffer dog handlers who combed every corner – classrooms, labs, playgrounds and administrative blocks – in meticulously choreographed operations. Similar scenes unfolded at other institutions as the threat emails proliferated, marking the latest in a disturbing wave of hoax alerts plaguing Delhi NCR educational hubs.

Iconic Landmarks And Metro Network Targeted

Beyond schools, the emails ominously named high-profile sites like the Red Fort, Delhi Secretariat and Vidhan Sabha, claiming blasts at precise times: Army School at 1:11 PM, Assembly at 3:11 PM and Red Fort at 9:11 AM. Metro stations were explicitly warned of attacks over the next three days, prompting Delhi Police to declare a high alert across the entire DMRC network with additional personnel deployments, random bag checks and CCTV surveillance intensification.

Cyber Shadows: Tracing The Digital Perpetrators

Delhi Police cyber cells have launched a high-priority investigation to unmask the hoax perpetrators, who appear to have used VPNs, proxy servers and disposable Gmail accounts to mask their origins and sow maximum disruption. Preliminary digital forensics suggest the emails were crafted to incite fear through communal provocation, with Punjabi script and Khalistan slogans designed to trigger ethnic tensions alongside terror panic.

This incident follows a pattern of similar threats hitting Delhi NCR schools repeatedly over the past month, including CRPF Public School, St Thomas Dwarka and DAV Paschim Enclave, all later confirmed as hoaxes but draining significant security resources.

Multi-Agency Response: A Well-Oiled Machine

The coordinated response showcased Delhi’s robust emergency ecosystem: Delhi Fire Services dispatched tenders within minutes of the first calls, while police orchestrated seamless cordons preventing public ingress during sweeps. Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) and the National Security Guard (NSG) remained on standby, with aviation assets monitoring aerial threats over sensitive zones.

• Bomb Disposal Squads: Swept 100% of threatened premises.
• Sniffer Dogs: Cleared buildings with zero false positives.
• Metro DMRC: Coordination meetings ensured 24/7 vigilance.
• Cyber Cell: IP tracing and international liaison activated.

Impact On Daily Life And Education

While no casualties occurred, the threats disrupted morning classes for thousands of students, with parents rushing to pick up children amid traffic snarls near school vicinities. Schools have shifted to hybrid vigilance protocols, including email firewalls, anonymous reporting hotlines and regular safety drills to build resilience against such psychological warfare.

The Metro network, ferrying lakhs daily, saw minor delays from enhanced checks but maintained operations, underscoring the balance between security and public service.

Government Vows Crackdown On Hoax Perpetrators

Delhi Lieutenant Governor and Home Ministry officials have directed a zero-tolerance policy, promising stringent action under anti-terror and cybercrime laws against those weaponising fear for disruption. Community leaders urged calm while emphasising the importance of reporting suspicious activities, as intelligence agencies monitor for any escalation beyond digital threats.

Lessons From The Hoax Onslaught

This episode exposes vulnerabilities in digital communication channels exploited by mischief-mongers, prompting calls for advanced AI-driven threat detection in institutional emails and stronger international cyber cooperation to nab cross-border culprits. For Delhi’s residents, it’s a reminder of the invisible security blanket – bomb squads, cyber warriors and alert citizens – that maintains normalcy amid shadows of malice.

As searches conclude with all-clear signals, the capital resumes rhythm but stays vigilant.