Chandigarh’s calm shattered Thursday as ominous emails threatened to obliterate four leading private schools at 1 PM and the Punjab Secretariat at 3:11 PM with bombs. Security apparatus sprang into action, averting panic through decisive measures.
Deja vu struck—the secretariat faced an identical threat on February 19 from Sector-9, neutralized by intensified patrols and expert searches involving bomb and dog squads.
Latest threats mobilized a crack team: firefighters, disposal units, canine squads at the secretariat. Police fortified perimeters, combing every inch. Verdict: hoax confirmed, zero threats materialized.
This fits a grim national tapestry of daily intimidations against educational hubs, courts, and offices. Noida’s dozen-plus schools trembled under February 19 emails. Bhopal University’s campus cleared out post-threat. Jaunpur and Jodhpur courts alerted on the 17th; Uttarakhand venues hit with detailed bomb claims from a fake judges’ group— all debunked.
Behind the emails lurk sophisticated hoaxers exploiting email anonymity. The fallout—resource drain, public trauma—demands advanced countermeasures like real-time monitoring and global IP tracking. Chandigarh exemplifies resilience, but sustained efforts are crucial to end this cycle of virtual terror.