Six Gujarat courts evacuated after bomb-threat emails; nothing found yet
Six Gujarat courts evacuated after bomb-threat emails; nothing found yet
Authorities evacuated six Gujarat district courts after bomb-threat emails claimed bombs were planted; searches found nothing suspicious so far.
On February 17, 2026, six district courts in Gujarat—Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Valsad, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, and Mehsana—received bomb-threat emails that claimed bombs were planted inside their premises and warned of blasts by lunchtime. The emails triggered swift evacuations and comprehensive searches across the campuses, with security steps tightened as investigators pursued leads.
Vadodara’s district court was among the sites evacuated after a message claimed that 19 bombs had been planted and would explode around noon. A police official said the sender critiqued a Tamil Nadu court’s judgment in the mail. Responding forces, including the Vadodara SOG, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, a dog squad, local police, and a team of cyber experts, cordoned off the premises and conducted searches. Similar precautions were taken at the courts in Valsad, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, and Mehsana, as well as at Ahmedabad, with all sites evacuated and thoroughly checked. Officials confirmed that nothing suspicious had been found thus far.
Earlier, on Monday, February 16, 2026, 34 schools in Ahmedabad and Vadodara also received bomb-threat emails that prompted evacuations; subsequent checks concluded the mails were hoaxes. The pattern of hoax communications has prompted a coordinated response across districts, with investigators reviewing the cyber trail to identify the source of these warnings.
Authorities said they would continue monitoring security at court complexes and remain vigilant against potential threats. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the emails, but officials emphasize the importance of swift action to safeguard public spaces and ensure the smooth functioning of the judiciary during such incidents.
