Delhi Police cracks down on school bomb threats, detains a juvenile

New Delhi [India], January 14 : Delhi Police have cracked down on a series of hoax bomb threats sent to over 400 schools across the national capital, arresting a juvenile responsible for the menacing emails, officials said.
The accused, a public school student, was identified and apprehended after a thorough technical investigation by the Cyber Cell of the South District police.
This successful detection brings relief to educational institutions, students, and parents across the city, who were repeatedly distressed by the disruptive and alarming emails received over the past year.
The police recovered a laptop and two mobile phones from the accused, which were subjected to forensic analysis. The digital evidence revealed the accused's involvement in sending threatening emails to numerous schools in Delhi.
The accused used anonymous and encrypted email services to conceal his identity but was eventually caught through advanced technical methods, according to the police.
Upon further analysis of the recovered digital devices and the confession of the accused, it was established that so far, he was involved in several previous instances of similar threatening emails sent to more than 400 schools in Delhi, police said.
The accused used multiple anonymous and encrypted email service providers, and advanced tools to conceal his identity. However, advanced *technical methods helped in uncovering his digital trail.
On 8th January 2025, around 23 schools in Delhi received threatening emails warning of bombs planted on their premises, causing widespread panic, school closures, and disruption of academic activities.
Taking immediate cognizance of the matter, Delhi Police registered an FIR. In the recent past, several emails have been received in a lot of schools in the national capital. The said bomb threat emails were received on email IDs of various schools inthe morning time, which created a widespread alarm and disruptions many times among schoolgoers, teachers, parents and the general public.
Delhi Police used advanced digital forensics and cyber-tracking techniques to identify and apprehend the teenager who was operating under the guise of anonymity, police said.
Since in most of the threat emails, the several schools of South Delhi were affected, the PS Cyber, South District, launched a comprehensive technical analysis of the email sources. Advanced cyber forensic techniques were employed to trace the origin of the threat emails.
Through sustained efforts, Investigators successfully identified the accused using digital footprints and email tracking mechanisms. The accused was traced to his residence, where a search operation was conducted.
Special Commissioner of Police Madhup Tiwari informed that the juvenile's father is associated with an NGO which has been a supporter of a political party. He informed that the police are investigating the role of this NGO behind the bomb threats.
"This child's father was associated with an NGO and this NGO has been a supporter of a political party. An initial investigation of the NGO has been started. This NGO has been a supporter of different political parties. We are investigating the role of the NGO in this. Was this whole matter politically motivated? We are investigating whether any political party is behind this act of this child.. who is trying to spoil the atmosphere of Delhi through the NGO. This NGO was also vocal against the hanging of Afzal Guru. Because many times when the mail was sent, there were no exams at that time. So just getting the exams cancelled cannot be the motive.. hence there is suspicion about a larger conspiracy," Tiwari said.
As per the police, the NGO opposed the hanging of Afzal Guru, a convicted terrorist involved in the 2001 Parliament attack.
The accused is a juvenile studying in a public school. Due to his age, his identity is being withheld in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. As the accused is a juvenile, the case will be handled as per the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.