Security stepped up after bomb threats to post offices, passport centres in state

Alipurduar: Fresh panic swept across West Bengal on Thursday after a series of bomb threat e-mails targeted post offices and passport centres across the state, even as authorities were grappling with similar threats sent earlier this week to courts.

Around noon, an anonymous e-mail warning of explosions at key government establishments triggered immediate evacuations at several locations — from Kolkata to multiple district towns. The message reportedly claimed that RDX had been planted at select Passport Seva Kendras and threatened blasts between 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm.

In Kolkata, panic was first reported near Ruby More, where the passport office was evacuated. Alerts soon followed at major postal establishments, including Chinsurah and Serampore in Hooghly, Arambagh, Purba Bardhaman, Bankura, Murshidabad, Basirhat, Barrackpore, and Howrah Maidan.

In North Bengal, tension escalated at the Balurghat Head Post Office after a similar email warned of explosives at 19 passport centres statewide. Police, led by DSP (Headquarters) Bikram Prasad, conducted extensive searches with bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs. No suspicious objects were found.

At the Jalpaiguri Head Post Office, another threatening email claimed parcels containing RDX had reached the facility. A bomb squad and district intelligence officials, under IC Sanjay Dutta of Jalpaiguri Kotwali Police Station, carried out a thorough inspection. “The search operation helped ease panic. Normal operations have resumed,” said Postmaster Debajyoti Bhattacharya.

Evacuations were also reported at the Cooch Behar Head Post Office, where employees were rushed out as police from Cooch Behar Kotwali Police Station sealed the premises for inspection. Similar scenes unfolded at the Alipurduar Court Post Office and the Raiganj Head Post Office in North Dinajpur district. The Islampur Sub-Divisional Court was also evacuated following threats claiming RDX and cyanide were stored on the premises.

Authorities confirmed that no explosives were recovered from any of the locations. Investigations are underway to trace the origin of the coordinated e-mails, while security has been heightened across government establishments statewide.