Dera Ballan gets bomb threat mail ahead of PM Modi’s Jalandhar visit

The Dera Sachkhand Ballan, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit on Sunday, and five schools in Jalandhar received e-mails threatening bomb blasts Saturday, officials said, adding they turned out to be hoax and apparently aimed at creating panic. The e-mails, however, gave ammunition to the BJP to target the ruling Aam Aadmi Party dispensation saying such bomb threats by anti-national elements expose the “failure” of the state government and the police force.

The e-mails prompted a security sweep at the schools, which were closed due to a public holiday on account of the Guru Ravidas Jayanti, a senior police officer said, adding that nothing suspicious was found.

The Dera premises, meanwhile, is already under tight security in view of the PM’s visit.

The emails, sent by a person who identified himself as “Billy Hall”, threatened to blow up the schools and Dera Ballan.