West Bengal’s courts are under siege from anonymous email bombers for the second straight day. Wednesday’s threats hit district-level judges in Asansol and Suri, claiming planted explosives ready to blow. This follows Tuesday’s wave targeting seven courts, among them the prestigious Calcutta High Court.
At Asansol District Court in West Burdwan, the judge’s email inbox lit up with doom: a bomb allegedly ticking in the premises. DCP Dhruba Das of Asansol-Durgapur spearheaded the evacuation, with bomb detection teams fanning out. Birbhum’s Suri court faced identical peril—a threatening note before midday sessions, evacuating everyone as a precaution.
Searches wrapped by early afternoon at both venues: zero threats materialized. Yet, the psychological toll is immense, with judges, barristers, and visitors on edge. The contagion spread to Jharkhand’s Dhanbad court via an RDX hoax email, amplifying regional jitters.
Deeming it likely a hoax spree, authorities held an urgent summit at state headquarters. Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty told reporters, ‘We’re fortifying all courts. Public panic serves no purpose—alert police to suspicions instead.’ Her words aim to steady nerves amid the uproar.
The police cyber cell is in overdrive, hacking through email metadata for leads on the hoaxers. Enhanced security now blankets courts: more personnel, sniffer dogs, and surveillance upgrades. These relentless threats expose chinks in digital defenses, urging a overhaul to shield the pillars of justice from faceless foes.