Panic spread through judicial establishments in Punjab's Mohali and Rupnagar districts on Thursday, January 8, 2026, after both district court complexes received bomb threat emails, forcing immediate evacuations and halting all court proceedings.
Swift Evacuation and Search in Mohali
According to officials, the Mohali district court complex received a threatening email around 2 pm. The email warned that the premises would be blown up with a bomb. The police administration acted swiftly, evacuating the entire complex and launching a comprehensive security sweep.
Confirming the incident, SP (City) Dilpreet Singh stated that following standard protocol, the complex was immediately cleared and searched. Teams from the bomb disposal squad, anti-sabotage unit, and ARP (likely Anti-Riot Police) carried out an extensive inspection of the premises.
"No suspicious object was found anywhere, and the threat has been declared a hoax," he said.
Similar Threat Paralyzes Rupnagar Courts
A similar sequence of events unfolded earlier in the day at the Rupnagar court complex. Judicial officers received a bomb threat email in the morning, prompting authorities to evacuate the building as a precautionary measure. Court work was abruptly suspended while security agencies conducted detailed checks.
Rupnagar SSP Gulneet Khurana stated that an investigation had been initiated to trace the source and assess the credibility of the threat. He added that "keeping the seriousness of the threat in mind, the judicial complex at Anandpur Sahib was also evacuated as a precaution."
No suspicious material was recovered from the Rupnagar or Anandpur Sahib locations either.
Cyber Investigation and Aftermath
With no physical threats found, the focus has shifted to the digital origin of the emails. Cyber crime teams have been pressed into service to identify the sender of the threatening communications. The incidents highlight the vulnerability of public institutions to such hoaxes, which cause significant disruption, waste security resources, and create public anxiety.
The coordinated nature of the threats, targeting multiple court complexes in the region on the same day, is a key line of inquiry for the investigating teams. Normal operations resumed at all locations after the all-clear was given by the security forces.
