Punjab and Haryana High Court Evacuated Following Bomb Threat Email

On the morning of May 22, 2025, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh was evacuated after local police received an email threatening a bomb attack on the premises. As a precautionary measure, court staff, legal professionals, and visitors were promptly evacuated.  Bomb disposal squads and law enforcement agencies conducted a thorough search of the premises.  No explosives were found, and the threat was deemed a hoax. 

This incident adds to a series of recent bomb threats in Punjab.  On May 21, 2025, the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner’s office received a similar email claiming that an improvised explosive device (IED) containing RDX had been planted in the government complex.  Authorities halted public access and conducted extensive searches across multiple departments, including the DC office, court complex, and parking areas.  No suspicious devices were found.  The cybercrime wing has launched an investigation to trace the origin of the email. 

These incidents are part of a broader pattern of bomb hoaxes across India.  In 2024, numerous establishments, including schools, colleges, hotels, and airports, received bomb threat emails and calls, most of which were hoaxes.  Investigations revealed that some of these emails were sent from international locations using foreign servers, complicating efforts to trace the perpetrators.