Punjab and Haryana HC receives bomb threat, turns out to be hoax

IANS May 22, 2025 208 views

The Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh was temporarily evacuated following an anonymous bomb threat on Thursday. Police quickly deployed bomb disposal squads and searched the entire court premises, ensuring public safety. The threat turned out to be a hoax, and court proceedings resumed by 2 p.m. with virtual attendance options for lawyers. This incident follows a similar email threat to the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner's office the previous day.

"All members are kindly requested to remain vigilant" - Gagandeep Jammu, HCBA Secretary
Chandigarh, May 22: Courtrooms of the Punjab and Haryana High Court were evacuated on Thursday after the Chandigarh Police received a bomb threat.

Key Points

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High Court courtrooms quickly evacuated after anonymous bomb threat

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Police bomb squad conducted thorough search of premises

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Courts resumed functioning by 2 p.m. after clearance

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Virtual court option provided for lawyers

The police's quick response team (QRT), comprising the bomb squad, arrived at the High Court building and got the courtrooms evacuated before starting the search for the bomb.

Advocates and litigants also moved out of the building.

As the information about the bomb scare came, the Bar Association issued an alert regarding the bomb threat.

"All members are kindly requested to remain vigilant. If any suspicious or unattended items are found within the premises, please inform the office of the High Court Bar Association, Chandigarh, immediately," read the notice by the High Court Bar Association (HCBA) secretary, Gagandeep Jammu.

The High Court Registrar General said that police personnel and Bomb Disposal Squads from Chandigarh Police were deployed to check the court premises. The courts resumed functioning at 2 p.m.

"As requested by the President, Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, the lawyers are free to join the proceedings through the virtual mode," a notice issued by the Registrar General reads. It adds that no adverse order would be passed in case any lawyer is unable to attend the court, physically or virtually.

The Bar Association asked the members that if any suspicious or unattended items are spotted within the premises, notify the office of the association without delay.

A day earlier, a threat to blow up the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) office in Ludhiana was received via email, triggering panic.

Upon receiving the threat, the police sprang into action. The police are trying to trace the IP address of the email to identify the sender.

Following the threat, bomb disposal squads and dog units were deployed to the DC office to conduct a thorough search.

Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is getting serious now! First Ludhiana DC office, now High Court. Our security agencies are doing great work but we need stricter cyber laws to track these hoax callers. They're wasting precious resources and causing unnecessary panic. 🙏
P
Priya M.
Thank God it was a hoax! But I appreciate how efficiently the system responded - from police to court administration. The virtual court option shows we've learned from pandemic times. Still, such threats disrupt justice delivery. Hope they catch the culprits soon!
A
Amit S.
These repeated threats in Punjab are worrying. Is there some pattern? Security agencies should investigate if these are attempts to create fear or test our response systems. Better cyber surveillance needed!
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Neha T.
The alertness of our police and court staff deserves praise đź‘Ź But I wonder - why are these threats coming specifically to Punjab institutions? As a Chandigarh resident, this makes me anxious. Hope authorities take preventive measures.
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Sanjay V.
While response was good, I think our bomb threat protocols need updating. In other countries, they have better tech to verify threats quickly. We can't keep evacuating important places for every hoax. Investment in threat assessment tech is needed.
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Kavita R.
My husband is a lawyer at Punjab & Haryana HC. He called saying court was evacuated but everything was handled calmly. Proud of our system's maturity in crisis. But strict punishment should be given to those making fake threats - it's not a joke!

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Tags:
Punjab and Haryana High Court Bomb Threat Chandigarh Police Judicial Emergency Gagandeep Jammu