Chandigarh, Jan 31: Emails threatening bomb blasts at the Dera Sachkhand Ballan and five schools in Jalandhar were received on Saturday, a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the headquarters of the sect.
Nothing suspicious was found during extensive security checks at the schools, which were closed on account of a holiday related to Guru Ravidas Jayanti, officials said, adding that Dera premises are already under tight security due to PM Modi’s visit.
The emails were sent to the schools, threatening to blow them up and Dera Ballan. The messages also said that PM Modi was “an enemy of Khalistanis”, according to officials.
“Upon receipt of the bomb threat emails by at least five schools, police authorities initiated security checks at the school premises and called in bomb squads,”a senior police official said.
“Nothing suspicious was found at the school premises following the anti-sabotage checks,” he said.
The bomb threat emails were apparently aimed at creating panic ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Jalandhar, and the matter is currently under investigation, he said.
Schools in Jalandhar were closed on Saturday in the wake of the Shobha Yatra taken out ahead of Guru Ravidas Jayanti.
The incident comes close on the heels of similar threats received by several schools on Wednesday in Chandigarh, where nothing suspicious was found.
Such bomb hoaxes have earlier been reported in Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala in Punjab and Ambala in Haryana.
Meanwhile, tight security arrangements have been made in Jalandhar in the wake of PM Modi’s visit.
Modi will visit Dera Ballan on the occasion of the 649th Guru Ravidas Jayanti on Sunday. He will inaugurate the civil terminal of the Halwara airport in Punjab. He will visit Adampur airport, where he will unveil its new name — Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Airport.
Modi’s visit to Jalandhar comes days after Dera Sachkhand head Sant Niranjan Dass was chosen for Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award. (Agencies)
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