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High alert in Chandigarh after schools, mayor’s office and UT secretariat get bomb threats

According to the police, the threat email, which urged people to ‘save your children’, mentioned specific timings for bomb blasts at various places in Chandigarh.

2 min readChandigarhUpdated: Apr 6, 2026 12:10 PM IST

Extensive search and sanitisation operations were carried out across all sites mentioned in the email, including the Chandigarh secretariat. (File Photo)

Panic gripped Chandigarh on Monday morning after multiple schools, including St Stephen’s School, Shivalik Public School, and Ryan International School, along with the mayor’s office and the Union Territory secretariat, received emails warning of bomb blasts.

The emails arrived around 9.21 am, triggering immediate evacuations and a massive security response across key locations.

According to sources, the email contained explicit references to explosions at schools, mentioning a specific timing of “1.11” for the blasts. It also referred to possible attacks at the mayor’s office at “2.11” and the secretariat at “3.11”. Additionally, the sender warned of a grenade attack at Gandhi Bhawan on a university campus at night.

A police official said the email’s content is highly provocative and appeared designed to spread panic. The email urged people to “save your children”.

As soon as the police received information about the threat, multiple security units, including bomb disposal squads, dog squads, quick reaction teams, and local police personnel, rushed to the affected locations. School premises were evacuated, while government buildings were secured and access was restricted. Extensive search and sanitisation operations were carried out across all sites mentioned in the email.

A senior police officer said all standard operating procedures were being followed. “Every location flagged in the email is being thoroughly checked. We are not taking any chances,” the officer said.

No suspicious objects had been found at any of the locations till the time of filing this report. However, security has been significantly tightened across Chandigarh, especially at educational institutions and key government establishments.

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Cybercrime teams have been pressed into service to trace the origin of the email. The police are analysing technical details, including email headers and internet protocol logs, to identify the sender.

Police officials said that while it could be a hoax, they were treating the nature of the threat with utmost seriousness.

In the past, several schools and government institutions in Chandigarh, including the High Court complex and the District Court complex, had received similar bomb threat emails. However, thorough searches conducted in those cases did not yield any explosives.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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