Bomb threats trigger security sweep at courts in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh

Raipur/Bhopal, Jan 8 District courts in three districts of Chhattisgarh and one district of Madhya Pradesh were placed on high alert on Thursday after receiving bomb threats through anonymous emails, prompting immediate evacuation and intensive security sweeps of court premises.

Officials said threatening emails were sent to the official email IDs of district courts in Rajnandgaon, Durg and Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, and the Rewa district court in Madhya Pradesh.

In Rajnandgaon, the email was received at around 10.07 a.m., warning of a suicide attack using an RDX-based improvised explosive device (IED). The message allegedly demanded that judges be evacuated from the premises by around 2.35 p.m.

Following the alert, the district collector and superintendent of police were immediately informed. Police teams, along with bomb disposal squads and dog squads, were deployed and the entire court premises were evacuated as a precautionary measure.

“During the search, no suspicious object, bomb, explosive or any dangerous material was found anywhere on the premises,” police officials said.

Similar security operations were carried out at district courts in Durg and Bilaspur after comparable threat emails were received. Authorities confirmed that no explosives or suspicious materials were detected at either location.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai responded to the developments, urging calm. “I have received information about this, but there is no cause for fear. Our police administration is strong and fully capable,” he said.

In Madhya Pradesh, panic briefly prevailed at the newly constructed Rewa District Court complex after an anonymous email was received at around 8.30 a.m. at the official email ID of the District and Sessions Judge. The message threatened to blow up the court premises by around 2.30 p.m. and reportedly mentioned the use of RDX-based explosives.

Acting on directions from the High Court and with approval from the District Judge, the entire court complex was evacuated. Judges, lawyers, court staff and visitors were safely moved out of the building.

Police personnel, bomb disposal squads and dog squads conducted a thorough search of the premises. Officials said no suspicious objects or explosives were found during the operation, which continued into the afternoon.

Rewa City Superintendent of Police Rajiv Pathak said preliminary investigation suggested that the email may have originated from southern India. Cyber police have joined the probe to trace the sender and ascertain the source of the threat.

Officials noted that similar bomb threat emails were reported at district courts in several other states, including Bihar, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, on the same day, raising suspicion of coordinated hoax attempts aimed at disrupting judicial proceedings and creating fear.

Earlier, ordnance factories in Itarsi had also received similar bomb threats on two occasions.

Investigations are underway in all cases.

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