Bomb Threat Emails Target Schools in Ahmedabad, Echoing Delhi-NCR Incident
Ahmedabad, like its counterpart Delhi-NCR, faced a wave of bomb threat emails targeting several schools on Monday, sending shockwaves through the educational community. The menacing emails, originating from a Russian domain ‘mail.ru’ and bearing the username tauheedl@mail.ru, triggered swift responses from school authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Among the schools affected in Ahmedabad were prestigious institutions such as Delhi Public School (Bopal), Anand Niketan (Bopal), Asia English School (Vastrapur), Calorex School (Ghatlodiya), Amrita Vidyalaya (Ghatlodiya), New Noble School, and ONGC Kendriya Vidyalaya (Chandkheda). Prompt action was taken as authorities immediately alerted the police control room, leading to the deployment of police teams and bomb squads to the targeted schools.
Investigations into the threatening emails unveiled troubling associations, with the term ‘sawariim’—Arabic for clashing of swords—linked to Islamist propaganda, notably by the Islamic State since 2014. Similarly, the username ‘tauheedl’ and the term ‘Tauheed,’ meaning creating unity in Arabic, have been affiliated with Islamic State-related organizations.
Instances of the Islamic State establishing outfits under the name Tauheed, including the establishment of Madina-e-Tauheed Mujahideen in African countries, raised concerns about the emails’ origins and motives. Furthermore, reports of Indian Mujahideen members joining the Islamic State and forming Ansar-ut-Tauheed added complexity to the investigation.
While authorities reassured the public, emphasizing that there was no immediate cause for panic, heightened security measures were enforced ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat scheduled for May 7. The incident mirrored the hoax bomb threats that targeted over 150 schools in Delhi-NCR and one in Lucknow last week, underscoring the need for comprehensive investigations into the source of these threats and vigilance in addressing such security challenges.
