A routine morning at Moga District Court turned nightmarish when a bomb threat email detonated widespread fear, leading to an unprecedented evacuation drill. The email, timestamped 9:45 AM, explicitly threatened to ‘blow up the court’ and named specific courtrooms, triggering an all-out security response. Judges adjourned sessions mid-hearing as alarms echoed through halls.
Evacuation was textbook: Staff directed crowds methodically to assembly points outside, while quick-response teams sealed entrances. Police cordoned off a 500-meter radius, diverting traffic and deploying drones for aerial surveillance. Canine units sniffed out potential hazards in record rooms packed with decades-old files, while human chains checked restrooms and stairwells.
No explosives were found, but the three-hour ordeal exposed security gaps. The email’s sender used encrypted services, evading initial traces, but Punjab Cyber Crime Wing claims breakthroughs in decoding metadata. Sources hint at links to radical online groups active on dark web forums.
Reactions poured in from bar councils and human rights bodies, highlighting the psychological toll on court workers. One advocate recounted the terror of fleeing with files in hand. Post-incident, counseling sessions were arranged, and security audits ordered statewide.
In a broader context, this marks the fifth such threat in Punjab courts this quarter, amid rising tensions over judicial verdicts in sensitive cases. Government has sanctioned funds for panic rooms and biometric access. As investigations intensify, Moga police promise swift arrests, reinforcing that justice won’t be derailed by faceless cowards hiding behind screens.