Multiple Civil Courts in Bihar Receive Bomb Threats via Email, Prompting Evacuations
Five civil courts across Bihar were thrown into a state of panic on Wednesday after receiving bomb threats via email. The targeted courts included those in Samastipur, Bhagalpur, Siwan, Begusarai, and Muzaffarpur districts, leading to immediate evacuations and heightened security measures. The threat messages specifically warned that blasts would occur at noon, causing alarm among court officials, lawyers, and visitors.
Security Agencies Swing into Action Following Threats
Upon receiving the threats, court premises were swiftly evacuated as a precautionary measure. Security agencies were immediately alerted, and bomb disposal squads, along with sniffer dog teams, conducted intensive searches of all courtrooms and surrounding areas. Police lodged separate First Information Reports (FIRs) in their respective districts to initiate investigations into the origin of these threatening emails.
In Bhagalpur, the principal district and sessions judge, Dharmendra Kumar Singh, personally received the threat email. He promptly informed the Patna High Court and alerted senior police and administrative officers. Judge Singh ordered enhanced security both inside and outside the court premises. Bhagalpur SSP Pramod Kumar Yadav confirmed that a thorough search operation was carried out, and an FIR has been registered to trace the email's source.
Similar Pattern of Threats Across Districts
The Muzaffarpur civil court also faced a similar bomb threat via email, resulting in the evacuation of the premises and tightened security arrangements. Muzaffarpur SSP Kantesh Kumar Mishra stated that after the threat was received, the entire court campus was cleared, and dog and bomb disposal squads searched the area. A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed under City SP Mohibullah Ansari to investigate the threat email and identify the perpetrators.
In Siwan, the civil court judge informed SP Puran Kumar Jha about the threat email, leading to the immediate evacuation of the court campus. Advocate Kamlesh from the Siwan court mentioned that the administration took precautionary measures, but nothing suspicious was found during police and dog squad checks. Lawyers were instructed via public address announcements to inspect their chambers, and all individuals entering or leaving the court premises were subjected to thorough checks.
Previous Incidents and Legal Community's Concerns
This is not the first time such threats have targeted Bihar's courts. On January 8, similar email threats were received by the Patna civil court, Patna City court, Kishanganj civil court, Gaya civil court, and Madhubani civil court, with mentions of using RDX explosives. The recurrence of these threats has raised serious concerns within the legal community.
Advocate and former vice-president of the Bhagalpur district bar association, Om Prakash Tiwary, expressed deep concern over the bomb threats and demanded that the state government form a special investigation team to get to the root of the matter. He emphasized the need for robust security measures to protect judicial institutions.
Detailed Accounts from Affected Courts
In Begusarai, after receiving a bomb threat to blow up the civil court, the campus was evacuated. Lawyer Gopal Kumar reported that they reached the court at 10:30 AM and were informed about an email threat stating the court would be blown up at 1:45 PM. The email was traced to have originated from Tamil Nadu, adding a cross-state dimension to the investigation.
The Samastipur civil court also received a bomb threat, prompting a police team led by Sadar ASP Sanjay Kumar Pandey to reach the court and conduct an investigation. Authorities across all districts have assured that the threats were later declared hoaxes after comprehensive searches yielded no explosives or suspicious materials.
Despite the hoax declarations, the incidents have underscored vulnerabilities in court security and highlighted the need for improved cybercrime investigation capabilities to trace such threatening communications swiftly. The ongoing investigations aim to identify and apprehend those responsible for spreading panic and disrupting judicial proceedings.
