The National Capital Region (NCR) was gripped by panic on Thursday morning when emails offering explosive threat messages went through more than 12 of Noida’s top schools over the course of the ongoing CBSE Board Exams. As a result there were immediate evacuations, as students, their families and the school were all placed in fear of what might happen next.
Chaos During Board Exams
The threat emails were apparently sent about 9 AM to the official accounts of a number of high-profile schools in Noida and Greater Noida. The timing was especially sensitive because hundreds of students were preparing to start or were already sitting in their seats for their CBSE Class 10 and 12 examinations.
The threats prompted school administrations to swiftly adopt emergency procedures. As the school’s own security assessment concluded, examination procedures were thrown into chaos in several locations, with students either displaced to open playgrounds or sent home.
Police Response and Bomb Squad Response
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police responded rapidly by stationing bomb disposal units, dog units, and an excessive police force at the affected school. The schools including a number of well-known private institutions throughout Noida—were all cordoned off as specialist teams searched their rooms one by one.
“We were told through email that bomb threats were being made in some schools. As a precautionary measure, we have evacuated the premises and are making efforts to fully sanitize the premises. We would urge parents not to panic,” said a senior Noida Police official.
Suspected hoax; security tightened
The emails are suspected of being connected to a massive hoax, the probe has indicated, as previous attacks in Delhi earlier this year have showed. But since the stakes in the board exams are high, the authorities are not taking a leap of faith. The Noida Police Cyber Cell is already pulling out IP addresses from emails. The earliest signs are that the sender utilizes Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to conceal his location which implies the plan to ravage massive territories.
Impact on Students and Parents
It is inducing significant stress for board exam-taking learners. But CBSE officials have contacted school heads in light of possible rescheduling or compensated time at these centers, during which the evacuation pushed examinations to a massively delayed period. News of the threats spread online on social media and WhatsApp groups, and anxious parents raced to the schools. School administrators also advise parents to keep in the loop about this information and stay on the official channels and not spread unverified rumors.
