In a brazen escalation of cyber terrorism, Chandigarh authorities thwarted potential disasters after bomb threats were emailed to four elite private schools and the Punjab Secretariat. The threats pinpointed exact blast times: 1 PM at schools, 3:11 PM at the secretariat, igniting a full-scale emergency response.
This marks the second such alert against the secretariat in under 10 days. The February 19 email had already prompted stringent security measures and a dog squad sweep in Sector-9, all clear.
Thursday’s drama unfolded with elite response teams—fire brigade, bomb experts, K9 units—descending on the secretariat. Massive police presence blanketed the area as searches commenced. Hours later, relief: no bombs, no dangers found.
The national scourge persists relentlessly. February 19 saw Noida’s schools bombarded with threat emails. Bhopal University faced evacuation after a similar missive. On the 17th, Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur and Rajasthan’s Jodhpur court received warnings. Uttarakhand’s Ramnagar and Nainital courts were rattled by ‘All India Judges Association’ emails alleging planted RDX and IEDs—thorough checks proved them false.
Cyber forensics point to patterns: spoofed sender IDs, overseas origins. These hoaxes overburden emergency services and instill widespread dread. As Chandigarh bolsters defenses, the call grows louder for international cooperation to dismantle these threat networks. Vigilance remains paramount in safeguarding lives.