44 schools get bomb threat in Bengaluru, students, staff evacuated from premises safely

Panic gripped among students, parents, and authorities in Bengaluru after 44 schools received bomb threats through anonymous emails on Friday.

The first wave of email threats targeted seven schools, including Napel and Vidyashilpa in Basaveshwar Nagar. Notably, one of the schools is situated opposite the residence of Karnataka's Deputy CM, DK Shivakumar.

DK Shivakumar evaluates 

Speaking to media persons DK Shivakumar said, "I was watching TV, the school opposite to my house also got a threat mail. I came here to check."
 
He reached out personally to evaluate the situation and added, "Till now it seems like a threat call. But we have to be very cautious about it." 

Karnataka: Several schools in Bengaluru receive bomb threatshttps://t.co/Dg6O2JwMNz

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) December 1, 2023

Students and staff evacuated from school

Several other educational institutions received similar email threats after the first wave of threats. Bengaluru Police carried the evacuation process swiftly and students and staff were scotted out from the schools as a safety precaution.

Certain schools in Bengaluru city have received emails today morning indicating 'bomb threat'. Anti sabotage and bomb detection squads have been pressed into service to verify and ascertain. The calls seem to be hoax. Even then all efforts will be made to trace the culprits. pic.twitter.com/QqBaSuJ11W

— CP Bengaluru ಪೊಲೀಸ್ ಆಯುಕ್ತ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು (@CPBlr) December 1, 2023

Police are conducting thorough searches with the help of Bomb Disposal. However, the speculations are that the bomb threats may be hoaxes. 

Karnataka home minister reveals email id

The reports from PTI claimed that the message had come from email id kharijites@beeble.com, according to Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara. The email claimed 15 schools had bombs on their premises.

'The calls seem to be a hoax', says Police Commissioner

The Bengaluru Police Commissioner said in a post on microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter), "Certain schools in Bengaluru city have received emails today morning indicating 'bomb threat'. Anti-sabotage and bomb detection squads have been pressed into service to verify and ascertain. The calls seem to be a hoax. Even then, all efforts will be made to trace the culprits."

In the previous year, many private schools received similar email threats in Bengaluru, which turned out to be hoaxes.