The recent trend of bomb threats targeting schools in Delhi and other cities—most of them turning out to be hoax—is a distressing reminder of how easily fear can be weaponised in today’s digital era. On Friday, several prominent schools in the city received threatening emails, claiming that explosives were planted on their premises. This threat forced immediate evacuations and brought the city’s emergency response teams into action. At the time of writing this editorial, no bombs have been found. However, a considerable degree of panic and chaos has already unfolded in the targeted schools. The security teams, schools, and parents have been on a high alert.
This, of course, is not an isolated incident. Just days earlier, similar threats were made to over 40 schools in the capital, and in the months prior, hospitals, malls, and airports across the country faced similar hoaxes. While almost all of these threats turned out to be false, their frequency and audacity are troubling. These hoaxes disrupt normal life, waste valuable resources, and, most importantly, create an atmosphere of fear, especially where children are involved. For students and parents, the psychological toll is understandably immense. Children, some as young as primary school students, are made to evacuate their classrooms and endure hours of uncertainty. Parents are left to wonder if their children are safe and if schools are doing enough to protect them. These repeated incidents also interrupt education. In fact, some schools have even opted to switch to online classes in the wake of these scares.
In the present incident, the Delhi Police and other agencies have been quick to act. They have deployed bomb squads and conducted thorough checks. Yet, the inability to trace the perpetrators has persistently raised questions about the effectiveness of current methods to combat cybercrime. Those behind these hoaxes exploit advanced tools like VPNs and the dark web to mask their identities, making it difficult to track them down. This points to the need for more sophisticated cybercrime units and better international cooperation to tackle such threats.
Schools, too, need to rethink their security protocols. While many have systems in place for physical security, the new wave of digital threats requires a different kind of preparedness. Regular bag checks, monitoring entry points, and ensuring staff and students know how to respond in emergencies can help. Clear communication with parents is also critical to managing fear and confusion. Unfortunately, the political reactions to these incidents have done little to reassure the public. Blame games between parties merely add to the noise without offering real solutions. What Delhi needs now is a coordinated effort between state and central agencies to ensure the safety of its citizens, especially its youngest ones.
To sum up, the larger pattern of hoax threats targeting public institutions across the country reflects a worrying misuse of technology. Whether it’s schools, airports, or hospitals, these threats create widespread panic and consume resources that could be better used elsewhere. This is not just a Delhi problem but a national one, and it demands a national-level response. Although these threats have so far proven baseless, the disruption and fear they create are damaging enough. It’s time for schools, authorities, and society as a whole to take a hard look at how we can prevent these incidents from becoming the new normal. The safety of our children and the trust in our public systems depend on it.