The bomb hoax email sent at 11:30 am forced the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh to be put on evacuation later on Thursday morning. Courtrooms and advocates’ chambers were also vacated as a precautionary measure, while police parties from Chandigarh rapidly reached the site to start preliminary investigations.
This is after another such email was sent to the Ludhiana Deputy District Commissioner's office the previous day.
A bomb and canine unit swept the entire complex of the High Court which had been evacuated. No suspicious object has been found so far. The High Court Bar Association (HCBA), Chandigarh, canceled the threat as unhygienic and highly dangerous, issuing a notice which compelled all court rooms and chambers to be vacated instantly. An advisory which encouraged all and anyone in the complex to refrain from unexplained or abandoned items and report them to the authorities was also released.
"As per the direction of the Chief Justice, if any advocate is unable to attend the court, physically or virtually, no negative sanction will be imposed,” the official communication signed by the Registrar-General was quoted. That communication also clarified that lawyers could, indeed, join the proceedings remotely, as was suggested by the President of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association.
Due to a threat email considering possessing explosives, there was a security scare that activated police, as well as bomb disposals units from Chandigarh Police. Lawyers were told to clear the courtroom as a safety measure. Work was interrupted and set to resume at two o’clock.
Gagandeep Jammu, who also happens to be the Honorary Secretary of the HCBA, explained that the court proceedings will continue post lunch, after they have ensured the safety of the entire premise.
While talking to TrueScoop, SSP Chandigarh Kanwar Deep Kaur stated,
“Yes, a communication informing us of the bomb threat for the Punjab and Haryana High Court was received. Our police personnel are on high alert, and necessary security arrangements have been made. The people need not panic.”
The police, in conjunction with cybercrime specialists, have sought to exhaustively trace the origin of the threatening email.