Delhi school evacuated after bomb threat via e-mail; search underway

New Delhi: A school in Delhi's Defence Colony was evacuated Wednesday morning after an e-mail said there were bombs on the premises, police said.

The panicked students and parents of 'The Indian School' gathered outside the school as the bomb squad and other agencies inspected the premises for any explosive substance, they said. A senior police officer said a person named Brijesh of The Indian School, BRT Road, informed them about the e-mail.

The e-mail was received at 10:49 am, the officer said.

Police said the school had received a similar e-mail in November last year.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Chandan Chowdhary said, "The school received the e-mail regarding the bomb threat at 10.49 am on Wednesday. They then informed the Defence Colony police station following which the security personnel reached the spot and immediately evacuated the school.

"We deployed our bomb squads and also informed the Special Cell and the Special Branch. The SWAT team is also conducting searches inside the premises," he said.

Chowdhary further said that the police force has so far conducted two rounds of search and that the third round is underway.

"We are looking for the source of the e-mail. In November last year, the school received a similar mail which was sent via a German server," he said.

The DCP, however, said the e-mail threat appears to be a hoax.

Vigyan, a class 5 student, said he along with his classmates was evacuated from the school building and taken to the ground.

"We were asked to go home before lunch. We were not given any information as to why we were evacuated," another student said.

A parent waiting outside the school to receive his son said several students told him that they saw bomb squads inside the premises.

A message sent by the school administration to the parents reads, "Dear Parents, this is to request you to please come urgently to school to collect your child/children, as per the directions/information received. All parents are requested not to create panic while collecting their children."