Panic returned to West Bengal’s judicial hubs on Wednesday as several district courts got bomb threat emails, echoing the seven threats sent to state courts including Calcutta High Court just 24 hours prior. These digital menaces, aimed straight at judges’ inboxes, forced evacuations and turned courtrooms into ghost towns amid frantic security drills.
It all kicked off in Asansol’s District and Sessions Court. An email to the West Burdwan district judge warned of an imminent explosion from a planted bomb. Asansol-Durgapur Deputy Commissioner Dhruba Das led the response, clearing the premises in minutes. Over in Suri, Birbhum district court mirrored the chaos: a pre-noon email to the judge prompted instant lockdown and outsider clearance.
Bomb squads and police scoured both sites for hours—no suspicious items found. Officials lean toward these being pranks or rumors spread by anti-social elements, but the pattern raises red flags. Even Dhanbad court in neighboring Jharkhand wasn’t spared, with an RDX threat email leading to similar protocols.
The consecutive barrages have rattled the legal fraternity and citizens alike. State administration reacted swiftly with a top-level huddle at Nabanna. Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty calmed nerves in a media briefing: ‘Court safety is non-negotiable. Avoid rumors; report anything odd to police immediately.’
Cyber sleuths are now dissecting email trails, IP addresses, and sender details in a bid to nab the culprits. As normalcy trickles back with fortified perimeters—extra patrols, CCTV checks, and access controls—these events spotlight vulnerabilities in judicial security, demanding a robust counter-strategy against cyber-enabled terror tactics.