10 Kanpur schools get bomb threat mail from Russian server
What's the story
At least 10 schools in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh received bomb threat emails on Wednesday. According to reports, the emails were sent from servers based in Russia. In response to the threats, bomb disposal squads have been pressed into services to sanitize the premises of the affected schools. As a precautionary measure, the schools have banned the entry of outsiders for the time being, while police are investigating the matter.
Bomb threats
Kanpur latest city to receive bomb threats in 2 weeks
Kanpur is the latest to be added to the list of Indian cities that have received bomb threats over the last two weeks, after Delhi, Noida, Jaipur, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad among others. On Tuesday morning, at least four hospitals in Delhi received bomb threat calls. According to the Delhi Fire Department, the Delhi State Cancer Institute near GTB Hospital, Dada Dev Hospital in Dabri, Hedgewar Hospital, and Deep Chandra Bandhu Hospital received the threat calls.
Lok Sabha elections
Bomb hoaxes cause panic amid ongoing elections
On May 1, over 150 schools in Delhi-NCR received similar threats, causing widespread panic. Meanwhile, on Sunday, 20 hospitals, the Indira Gandhi International Airport, and the Northern Railways's CPRO office in Delhi also received bomb threats through emails. According to reports, the threats to Delhi schools were sent from a Russia-based mailing service while Sunday's threats were sent from a Europe-based mailing service company—"beeble.com." Notably, the security has been strengthened across the country in wake of the Lok Sabha elections.
Hoax mails
Jaipur, Ahmedabad schools targeted
On Monday, at least four schools in Jaipur, Rajasthan were evacuated after they received bomb threats via email. On May 6 at least 14 schools in Ahmedabad, Gujarat got threatening emails. Four days later, Ahmedabad police said that they have detected a "Pakistan link" in the mails. "Further probe revealed a connection to a military cantonment in Pakistan," according to Sharad Singhal, Joint Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad Crime Branch.