Bomb threats trigger panic in courts across state

Bengaluru: A wave of bomb threat emails targeting judicial institutions across Karnataka has triggered panic and heightened security measures. Anonymous emails claiming explosives had been planted were sent to multiple courts, forcing evacuations and intensive searches by police and bomb disposal squads.

At the Madikeri court complex, an unidentified person sent an email claiming a bomb had been planted inside the premises. Acting swiftly, police evacuated lawyers, court staff and members of the public. The bomb detection and disposal squad, along with sniffer dogs, conducted a thorough search of the premises. No suspicious objects were found, and officials later indicated the threat appeared to be a hoax. However, the incident caused significant disruption to court proceedings.

In a similar development, the district court in Davanagere received an email warning that an RDX bomb would explode at 12.30 pm. The message, reportedly sent from an individual claiming to be from Tamil Nadu, was addressed directly to a judge’s official email ID. Judges and staff vacated the building immediately, and security personnel combed the area for explosives. After extensive checks, authorities confirmed there was no immediate danger.

The situation escalated further when the High Court’s Dharwad Bench received yet another bomb threat email. Lawyers stepped out of court halls as a precaution, while Garag police rushed to the spot and initiated security checks. Notably, this is the second such threat to the Dharwad Bench within a month, raising concerns about a possible pattern.

In Haveri, a fax message warning of a bomb forced the evacuation of the district court, and all scheduled hearings for the day were cancelled. Similarly, a court in Ramanagara district, under the Bengaluru South jurisdiction, received an email claiming that 12 RDX explosives had been planted on the premises. Police teams immediately secured the location and carried out inspections.

In recent weeks, Karnataka has witnessed an increase in bomb threat emails targeting educational institutions, government offices and public spaces. Although most have turned out to be hoaxes, authorities are treating every alert with utmost seriousness. Lawyers’ associations and members of the public have urged the government to identify and take stringent action against those responsible for spreading fear and disrupting public institutions.