Days after over 150 schools in Delhi-NCR received a bomb scare of unprecedented scale, eight city hospitals and IGI Airport received bomb threats through emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
“Today the Administration of Hindu Rao Hospital came to know about a Bomb Threat received by the SHO of the Police station under whose jurisdiction Hindu Rao Hospital falls.
The screenshot of a suspicious email, threatening the explosion of the bombs allegedly placed inside the hospital premises.
Fire Services officials also said that the Indira Gandhi International Airport had also received a bomb threat email on Sunday evening.
On May 1, Around 130 schools in Delhi-NCR received bomb threats, prompting swift evacuation of students from campuses.
Days after over 150 schools in Delhi-NCR received a bomb scare of unprecedented scale, eight city hospitals and IGI Airport received bomb threats through emails, which later turned out to be hoaxes.
The bomb threats were reported from Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-3, Burari Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay and Dabri’s Dada Dev Hospital, a senior official of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said.
“On May 12, at about 3.30 pm, a bomb hoax mail was received at GTB Hospital, GTB Enclave. Hospital authorities informed the local police about that mail. Immediately police swung into action and called the Bomb Disposal Squad which inspected GTB Hospital and Delhi State Cancer Institute premises,” DCP Shahdara said adding that nothing suspicious was found.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), reacted on the bomb threat received by the Hindu Rao Hospital and said that security checks have been enhanced on the premises.
“Today the Administration of Hindu Rao Hospital came to know about a Bomb Threat received by the SHO of the Police station under whose jurisdiction Hindu Rao Hospital falls. SHO received an Email regarding the presence of a bomb in the premises of the Hospital. SHO inspected the whole premises with the Dog Squad and bomb detection squad. No threat was found,” MCD said in a statement.
“Few openings were instructed to be closed. Directions to increase security checks at night and increased questioning and inspection issued. OT, Emergency, CCU and Blood Bank equipped for any adverse event. The hospital is on high alert for QRT activation. Hospital staff have also been asked to be vigilant,” it added.
Security has been beefed up in all the hospitals in the city and additional police force deployment was made at the airport, however, nothing suspicious has so recovered from any of the locations so far.
The screenshot of a suspicious email, threatening the explosion of the bombs allegedly placed inside the hospital premises. The image has gone viral on social. Police are investigating the email.
Fire Services officials also said that the Indira Gandhi International Airport had also received a bomb threat email on Sunday evening.
As per sources, a call was received at IGI Terminal 3 at 6:19 pm, following which the Delhi Police and CISF personnel have been put on alert mode.
On May 1, Around 130 schools in Delhi-NCR received bomb threats, prompting swift evacuation of students from campuses. The Ministry of Home Affairs asked people not to panic, adding that the threats were hoax calls.
Meanwhile, top intelligence sources had hinted that the ‘hoax call’ might have been intended to create terror.
“Bomb scare is a regular feature these days and agencies are trying to find out details from a period. This is happening on a regular frequency now. Similar threats were reported from Bengaluru and even a few schools in Delhi earlier,” the intelligence agency sources had told News18.
Notably, four IP addresses suspected to be generated through a Russia-based mailing company, sent from Moscow but without any cyber footprint, have made central agencies struggle to obtain details about the threat mail sent to 131 schools in Delhi-NCR.
Importantly, two IP addresses were traced back to Mumbai by a government operation centre that monitors websites.
The agencies recovered basic technical details, but there is still a breakthrough needed to identify the user of the ID. Additionally, agencies found that the mail may have been sent from the web application and not from the mobile application of Mail.au, which is the largest Russian mailing platform.
Meanwhile, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla reviewed the situation last week and pressed on the need to enhance security and regular email monitoring in schools.
The home secretary emphasised the need to prepare detailed protocols and standard operating procedures (SOP) to handle any such situation in the future.
To avoid any unnecessary panic caused by misinformation, he also asked the Delhi Police and schools to remain in close coordination for an “effective response mechanism”.
Explore the detailed schedule and key constituencies of the 2024 Lok Sabha Election’s Fourth Phase
