Dhanbad, Feb 25 (IANS) Security was heightened at the Civil Court in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad on Wednesday after an anonymous email threatened that a bomb had been planted inside the court premises.
According to officials, the threatening email was received during court hours, following which the District Judge and senior police officials were immediately alerted.
Acting swiftly, authorities ordered the evacuation of the entire court complex as a precautionary measure. Lawyers, litigants, court staff and visitors were escorted out of the court premises to safety.
Police personnel, along with dog squads and bomb disposal teams, rushed to the spot and launched an intensive search operation. All entry and exit points of the court were sealed, and sensitive areas, including courtrooms, judges’ chambers, record rooms, lockups, lawyers’ chambers, and parking areas, were thoroughly scanned.
After hours of combing the premises, no suspicious object or explosive material was found. Officials, however, maintained that the threat was being treated with utmost seriousness.
The latest incident comes amid a series of similar bomb threats targeting courts and administrative buildings across Jharkhand in recent weeks.
On February 12, a similar email was sent to the Ranchi Collectorate, claiming that a sulphur nitrate-based explosive device had been planted on the premises. The email had also alleged that the bomb squad would not be able to detect the device. Following the threat, the entire campus was cordoned and extensive searches were conducted. No explosives were recovered in that case, either.
Earlier, on February 6, the Ranchi civil court had also received a bomb threat via email. Security agencies had conducted prolonged searches at the time, but nothing suspicious was found.
In view of the repeated threats, police have activated the cyber cell to trace the origin of the emails. Technical investigations are underway to track IP addresses, servers and other digital footprints linked to the messages. Officials are also probing whether there is any connection between the recent threats.
Senior officers said enhanced surveillance and security protocols have been put in place at key judicial and administrative establishments across the state to prevent any untoward incident.
–IANS
snc/skp/vd
