Bomb threat emails to Lucknow schools originated from Russia, say police

The emails with bomb threats to four private schools in Lucknow allegedly originated from Russia, police said on Wednesday, 15 May.

The FIR also mentioned that the emails are not solely focused on threats to schools and the sender also discussed drawing inspiration from Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who is accused of orchestrating terror attacks in Paris in 2015.

The sender also expressed opposition towards the Indian government.

The FIR was lodged in Gomti Nagar police station based on the complaint of Sub-Inspector Dharmendra Kumar against two websites, one originating from Russia and another from Gmail.

The case has been registered under IPC sections 505 (2) (causing rumours), 507 (intimidation by anonymous communication), and 120 B (criminal conspiracy).

Kumar, stated in his FIR, that on 12 May at 6.46 p.m., an email was sent from the email ID ashuashuashuashu90@gmail.com to the Gomti Nagar-based private school’s email ID, threatening an explosion.

Another email was received on 13 May at 7.58 a.m., from the email ID instrumenttt@inbox.ru to the same school email ID, mentioning the threat of a bomb explosion while claiming inspiration from Abdelhamid Abaaoud and referencing incidents in Paris and Gujarat.

The email also warned the Government of India. Similar threatening emails were reported to be received by other schools in Lucknow, including a school in Vrindavan Colony, another in Viraj Khand 2, and various schools in Vastu Khand, Vibhuti Khand police station.

“All the threats have been included in one FIR only,” said Kumar.

Prabal Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner of police (east zone), Lucknow, stated that they were collaborating with their counterparts in Delhi to probe the case.

“Prima facie, we have learned that similar emails were used to issue threats to schools in Delhi as well as Lucknow,” he said.

Meanwhile, units of the UPATS and the STF are working on the case. On Monday, four private schools received bomb threats but teams of bomb disposal detection squads (BDDS) and anti-sabotage teams found no suspicious items.

The entire school premises were thoroughly checked, and parents who wished to take their children home were allowed to do so.