The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttarakhand Police launched a probe into a series of bomb threats mailed to courts across the state, officials said.
Police officials said the investigation is underway to trace the origin of the emails and identify those responsible.
Over the past three days, similar threats were reported from courts in Nainital, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Haridwar, Pithoragarh and Tehri Garhwal, triggering heightened security measures.
Senior superintendent of police (STF) Ajai Singh said preliminary investigations suggest that the threats appear to be hoaxes.
“We have initiated an investigation into the matter. The emails seem to have been sent using a VPN to conceal the sender’s identity,” he said.
On Wednesday, a massive security operation was launched at the Dehradun district court after a similar email threat was received. Police personnel swiftly evacuated the court complex and cordoned off the area.
Bomb disposal squad (BDS) and dog squads conducted thorough checks in the court premises.
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Dehradun superintendent of police (city) Pramod Kumar said the information was received from the court administration regarding the threatening email.
“The campus was immediately vacated and cordoned. Bomb disposal squad (BDS) and dog squads conducted thorough checks from the basement to all floors, including washrooms. No suspicious object was found during the search,” he said.
Meanwhile, security was also heightened at the Haridwar district court complex after a bomb threat email was received late Tuesday. The mail, sent to the court’s official email ID, claimed that 12 RDX explosives had been planted across the premises.
Senior superintendent of police, Haridwar, Navneet Singh said bomb disposal squads, anti-sabotage teams, sniffer dogs and SIDCUL police personnel conducted extensive searches of the entire complex.
“No explosives were found. As a precautionary measure, entry of court staff, lawyers, litigants and visitors is being subjected to frisking and verification using metal detectors. Security protocols are being strictly followed, and such drives will continue. The cyber cell is probing to trace the sender of the email,” he said.
