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Ludhiana: 2nd bomb attack scare in a week; district court complex evacuated
A similar email threat had been received on January 8, but no case was registered at that time, despite the court authorities alerting the police
Panic gripped the Ludhiana district courts complex once again on Wednesday after a bomb threat email, warning of a possible suicide attack, was received on the official email ID of the district and sessions judge. The work remained suspended throughout the day. This was the second such threat in less than a week, heightening concerns over security at the sensitive judicial facility.
Following the fresh threat, the division number 5 police registered an FIR against unidentified persons. A similar email threat had been received on January 8, but no case was registered at that time, despite the court authorities alerting the police. The renewed threat has caused particular alarm as the court complex had witnessed a deadly bomb blast in December 2021.
On Wednesday morning, soon after the email was received, the entire judicial complex was evacuated as a precautionary measure. According to officials, the threatening message claimed that “human bombs” belonging to a group would carry out suicide attacks inside the court premises. The email further alleged that three RDX-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs), purportedly made using C-4DX, had already been planted at key locations within the complex.
A massive security operation was immediately launched. Heavy police deployment, along with bomb disposal squads and sniffer dog teams, rushed to the spot. Judges, lawyers, court staff and litigants were evacuated, while the entire complex was cordoned off and thoroughly searched.
Confirming the incident, additional commissioner of police (ACP) Rupinder Singh said the threat email had been received on the official email ID of the district and sessions judge. He added that the sender’s name and email address were different from those used in the earlier threat.
“The entire court complex was meticulously checked with the help of bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs. No suspicious object or explosive was found,” Rupinder Singh said, adding that the email later appeared to be a hoax.
The ACP further stated that a case has been registered at the division number 5 police station against the unidentified sender, and efforts are underway to trace the origin of the threatening email. As a precautionary step, security checks were also carried out at the court complex in Jagraon on Wednesday.
It may be recalled that a bomb blast had rocked the district court complex on December 23, 2021, killing one person, suspected to be the attacker, and injuring five others. The explosion had occurred on the second floor of the court building adjoining the district administrative complex.
