Bomb Threat Emails Disrupt Court Proceedings In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Court proceedings in several districts of Odisha were briefly disrupted on Thursday after anonymous emails threatening bomb explosions were sent to multiple court complexes, triggering evacuations and heightened security measures.

According to official sources, district courts in Cuttack, Sambalpur and Deogarh received the threat emails during the day. As a precaution, judicial work was suspended and lawyers, litigants and court staff were asked to vacate the premises while security agencies carried out checks.

Police deployed anti-bomb squads, sniffer dogs and special teams to conduct extensive searches of courtrooms, chambers and surrounding areas. After hours of inspection, no explosive materials or suspicious objects were found, officials said.

Judicial work resumed later in the day after the premises were declared safe.

In Cuttack, the District Judge’s Court was evacuated soon after the threat email was received, with entry and movement within the complex restricted during the operation. A similar alert was sounded at the Sambalpur court earlier in the day, prompting intensive searches and security cover.

Police have launched an investigation to trace the source of the emails and to ascertain whether the threats were linked.

In a statement, the Director General of Police’s office said police had taken cognisance of the matter and strengthened security arrangements at court premises across the state. The public has been advised not to panic and to cooperate with the authorities.