Bomb threats to schools ahead of PM Modi’s Punjab visit, security agencies and police remain alert

Security has been tightened across Punjab after some schools in Mohali and Ludhiana got bomb threats via email. This comes just four days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Punjab and Chandigarh on July 17.

After getting the emails, local police and school staff took swift action and evacuated children from campuses. Bomb squads, dog teams, and intelligence officers searched the premises. At least six schools, including Shivalik Public School in Mohali Phase-6 and KVM City School in Ludhiana, were scanned. Top police officers confirmed that no bombs or explosives were found anywhere.

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Sources say the email had two big threats. First, it said schools would be hit today. Second, it threatened blasts at Jalandhar and Chandigarh railway stations on July 17 – the day when Prime Minister Modi is visiting the state to start new development projects. The email also warned people not to go to the Prime Minister’s rallies.

Cyber cell units and intelligence wings are checking the details of this email. The text mentions the recent controversy over the film Satluj starring actor Diljit Dosanjh. It also directly names and threatens Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu. Police are trying to track the IP address to find out who sent the message.

The scare started around 9 a.m. at Shivalik Public School in Mohali. The staff saw the threat on their computer during the second period. They immediately called the police and stopped the classes. Parents were asked to come and pick up their children, while school buses dropped rest of them home safely.

A similar situation happened at Ludhiana’s KVM City School around 10:30 a.m. Principal Pankaj Joshi said, “We informed the police right away. The email did not name any specific group, and we don’t know who sent it. We sent all the students home so the police could search the building easily.”

This threat came just one day after a video appeared online. The video, linked to pro-Khalistan activist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, showed separatist slogans written inside a train coach at Ferozepur Cantonment station. Police have not said if the two incidents are connected, but security is now very tight.

A senior police officer said, “We take every threat seriously. Our cyber cell is tracking the origin of the email. Checking will continue at schools, stations, and public places until the PM’s visit is over.”