Over 40 schools in India's Delhi receive 'hoax' bomb threats

The schools received an email demanding $30,000 to defuse the bombs, but police declared it a hoax after conducting searches of the premises

As many as 44 schools in the Indian capital Delhi have reportedly received bomb threats via email.

However, after thorough checks, the police confirmed it was a hoax, Indian broadcaster NDTV reports.

Delhi Police PRO Sanjay Tyagi assured that the department is prioritising the safety and security of all schools and students.

"We will soon reach the source of the email and take action against it," he said.

DPS RK Puram and GD Goenka School in Paschim Vihar were among the 44 schools that were targeted, prompting swift action. Students were sent home while the police were informed.

NDTV said it accessed a copy of the email sent at 11:38pm on Sunday, which claimed that multiple bombs had been planted inside the school buildings.

"The bombs are small and hidden very well," the email read, demanding $30,000 to defuse the bombs.

The sender further threatened: "It will not cause very much damage to the building, but many people will be injured when the bombs detonate. You all deserve to suffer and lose limbs."

Delhi Police are currently investigating the email's IP address to identify the sender.

The alert caused chaos during the busy morning hours marked by the arrival of school buses and preparations for assemblies.

GD Goenka School reported the threat to the Delhi Fire Department at 6:15am, followed by DPS RK Puram at 7:06am.

Bomb detection teams, dog squads and local police subsequently conducted searches at the schools but did not find any suspicious items, a police official said.

Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal expressed disappointment with the law and order situation in the capital and demanded answers from Home Minister Amit Shah.

In a social media post on X, Kejriwal wrote, "The people of Delhi have never seen such a bad state of law and order in Delhi before. Amit Shah ji should come and answer the people of Delhi."

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi Marlena also criticised the BJP-led central government over the rise in crimes such as murder, ransom demands, shootings and bomb threats in Delhi.

"The law and order situation in Delhi has never been so bad before. The BJP-ruled central government has failed in its only task of providing security to the people of Delhi…," she wrote.