Bomb Scare at Punjab and Haryana Secretariat: Unfounded Threats Cause Chaos

No explosive was found at the Punjab and Haryana secretariat building after an evacuation following a bomb threat email. This scare follows similar hoaxes in schools across Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, and Ambala. Security measures, including a detailed inspection, revealed no evidence of danger.

A security alert at the Punjab and Haryana secretariat resulted in a sweeping evacuation on Thursday, triggered by a bomb threat email, police reported. However, an extensive anti-sabotage check found no explosive devices, assuring safety but causing significant disruption.

This threat coincided with a series of similar hoaxes affecting schools in Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala, and Ambala, igniting widespread concern across the region. The email in the secretariat incident included references to Khalistan and contained threats directed at the Punjab chief minister.

The swift response involved police, fire brigades, bomb squads, and emergency services converging on the secretariat. Employees were swiftly and efficiently evacuated, halting administrative operations temporarily. The secretariat, situated in a high-security area, adds significance to the threat, despite no substantive dangers being identified.

(With inputs from agencies.)