Ahmedabad gets 19 bomb threats in a day, schools among key targets
Ahmedabad: Nineteen bomb threat messages targeting schools, courts, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) offices and the Narendra Modi Stadium were received on Tuesday, a cybercrime branch official confirmed to IANS, as security agencies responded to threatening emails sent to educational institutions and other locations in the city.
Of the 19 threats reported until the time of confirmation, 14 concerned schools, two targeted courts, two referred to the AMC or the Mayor’s Office, and one concerned the Narendra Modi Stadium.
One of the emails, received by Shree Narayana Guru School, carried the subject line “Warning! BOM|B Blast Ahmedabad Schools @ 1:11 PM”.
The email was sent at 9:10 a.m. from an account identified as (reduak079@gmail.com) and addressed to three school email accounts, including those of C.N. Vidyavihar and Shree Narayana Guru School.
The message contained threats of bomb blasts at specified times and referred to schools, courts, an office and the Narendra Modi Stadium.
It also warned people against travelling to Motera Stadium Metro station on November 21, the date mentioned in connection with Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh’s scheduled concert at the stadium.
The email included the slogans “KHALISTAN Zindabad” and “KHOON ka BADLA KHOON da” and purported to invoke the name of the Khalistan National Army. It also referred to Babbar Khalsa and named several individuals.
The authenticity of these claims and the identity of the sender have not been independently established.
The message further warned recipients against picking up iPhones found on roads, claiming that the devices could be used to cause explosions.
It also threatened blasts at schools and other locations, giving specific times for the alleged attacks. The threats prompted security checks at affected locations.
Local police, bomb detection teams and dog squads were deployed at schools, with school authorities taking precautionary measures, including sending students home and asking parents to collect them.
The AMC headquarters was evacuated after a bomb threat. A thorough check was conducted at the targeted places.
The latest incident follows previous bomb threats against public institutions and prominent venues in Gujarat.
The investigation into threats in Ahmedabad is under way, with the sender’s identity and the credibility of the messages yet to be established.
