Delhi High Court requests government report on steps taken to address bomb threats in schools
In response to a petition filed by a parent requesting guidance for a “detailed action plan” to deal with bomb threats in city schools, the Delhi High Court recently requested a report from the Delhi administration.
A “proper response plan which can be uniformly implemented” throughout the schools should be in place in the event that there is a genuine danger, the appeal said, citing an incident that occurred on April 26, 2023, at Delhi Public School, Mathura Road.
The petition said that it was a hoax and that “some miscreant sent an email regarding the presence of bomb in DPS Mathura Road school premises,” causing confusion and mental and emotional distress for everyone.
“Though a reply has been filed on behalf of Delhi Police, no reply has been filed on behalf of GNCTD (Government of NCT of Delhi),” Justice Subramonium Prasad’s single-judge panel noted in its April 1 ruling. In order to establish a suitable and comprehensive action plan to handle bomb threats and other calamities and guarantee the protection of students in schools, the GNCTD’s response is required. It is mandated that the GNCTD provide the positive status report by April 29, 2024, at the latest.
The bench said that a department of education official not lower than the level of joint secretary would have to appear before the high court to explain the reason for the delay if the status report was not submitted. The next listing for the case is May 3.
The Delhi Police notified the High Court in their report from the previous year that they had created a “circular” outlining the steps they take when a bomb threat call is determined to be a “hoax.”
According to the police status report, an action plan outlining the various stakeholders’ measures to follow in the event of a bomb threat call has been created. According to the police, they have “dedicated bomb disposal squads” who are in charge of handling threats, and they have also established “standard operating procedures.”
