Emailed Bomb Threat To WB Courts Sparks Panic, Spoils Proceedings

Kolkata/Berhampore: Emailed bomb blast threats disrupted proceedings and triggered panic at several courts from the city to districts in West Bengal on Tuesday amid the judges’ deputation to monitor the Election Commission's special intensive revision (SIR) of the voters' list following a Supreme Court's order last week.

The email was sent to the top judges at the City Sessions Court in Kolkata, two district courts at Asansol and Durgapur in Burdwan West, Chinsurah and Arambagh Courts in Hooghly and Murshidabad district court at around 11 am. It warned about a massive explosion in the next couple of hours.

The judges, lawyers and case petitioners were seen rushing out of the court buildings. Berhampore Bar Association president and senior public prosecutor Abu Bakkar Siddiqui said, "The email from Tamil Nadu warned that the court will be blown off soon if the judges are not withdrawn from the SIR process. We were in severe panic."

Police also rushed to the courts with bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs. They vacated and cordoned off the premises immediately and carried out a thorough search till afternoon. However nothing suspicious was found till afternoon.

Later, state chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty said, “The judges will be provided adequate security so that they can do their job in the SIR.” State director general of police Peeyush Pandey, who was present at the press meet with her at the state secretariat Nabanna, assured of the preparedness of the cops.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar informed that the cyber cell and detective department have been probing the email threat. Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal Manoj Agarwal said that the police were investigating the emailed threat.

The incident took place on a day the SC gave a fresh set of orders on the SIR which were hailed by the ruling Trinamul Congress. “The Hon’ble Supreme Court has once again stood firmly with democracy, laying bare @ECISVEEP’s incompetence and @BJP4India's relentless attempts to harass and disenfranchise the people of Bengal. Today’s verdict is a decisive affirmation of the constitutional right to vote and a clear reminder that electoral processes cannot be manipulated through administrative overreach or arbitrary standards,” TMC posted on X-handle.