Series of e-mails threaten to blow up 5 district courts, Lawrence School; turn out to be hoax
"All the e-mails were sent by one ‘Jayanti Karrampa’—a likely fictitious identity — claiming that RDX-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs) had been planted at the court complexes and at The Lawrence School in Solan district and will go off in within five hours,” police said.
The first e-mail was delivered to the mailbox of District and Sessions Judge, Chamba, at 12.04 am followed by one at the e-mail id of the headmaster of The Lawrence School at 5.01 am.
(Source: File)
A series of separate e-mails, all from the same source, threatened to blow up at least five district courts — Shimla, Kullu, Kinnaur, Nahan (Sirmour) and Chamba — and The Lawrence School at Sanawar, prompting authorities to evacuate the buildings, beef up the security and carry out a search of the respective premises.
The proceedings at the court complexes were suspended as bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs were deployed and police teams, under the supervision of senior officers, carried out extensive search operation at the buildings, said a statement issued by the police headquarters in the evening.
As a precautionary measure, a search operation was also conducted at the secretariat in Shimla. No explosives or suspicious items were found, a senior police officer said. The proceedings at the court complexes later resumed amid heightened security.
The first e-mail was delivered to the mailbox of District and Sessions Judge, Chamba, at 12.04 am followed by one at the e-mail id of the headmaster of The Lawrence School at 5.01 am. The other e-mails landed in the mailboxes of the District and Sessions Judges of Shimla, at 5.15 am, Kinnaur at 5.35 am, Kullu 5.36 am and Nahan in Sirmour at 5.39 am.
“All the e-mails were sent by one ‘Jayanti Karrampa’—a likely fictitious identity — claiming that RDX-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs) had been planted at the court complexes and at The Lawrence School in Solan district and will go off in within five hours,” police said.
An investigation has been launched to trace the origin of the e-mails, which were reportedly sent in the name of former students of Anna University.
In Shimla, Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Gandhi, said following the information about the threat e-mails, preventative action was taken and police teams headed by DSP-level officers evacuated the premises and carried out an in inspection.
In Sirmaur, Additional Superintendent of Police Yogesh Rolta said the officials came to know about the threat e-mail at 10 am when court staff staff switched on the computer to carry out the judicial work.
DIG (Cyber Crime), Mohit Chawla, said the police teams in the respective districts followed the standard operating procedure (SoP). “The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), was informed. Preliminary investigation suggests that all emails were sent from a single e-mail ID but at different times. The e-mail IDs targeted are publicly available. It is yet to be ascertained whether the e-mails were sent from within the country or outside,” said Chawla.
The police statement said that similar threats have been reported in other states over the past year. “Himachal Pradesh received 8 to 10 such threats in recent months. Cases have been registered in Kullu and Shimla districts, and investigations are ongoing. In a related case, Kerala Police have arrested an accused individual, and efforts are underway by Himachal Pradesh Police to obtain custody for interrogation,” it added.
Earlier, bomb threats were received at the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, the state secretariat, and at Deputy Commissioner’s offices in some districts. In the second week of June, the state police traced the origin of one of the seven threat emails received between April 16 and June 9. That e-mail had claimed that sensitive government infrastructure — including the offices of Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena, Deputy Commissioners of Mandi, Kullu, Hamirpur, and the Himachal Pradesh High Court—would be destroyed using explosives.
“Although the pattern and method of the seven e-mails were similar, one was sent using a different handle. All the e-mails were routed through Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). Six were traced to a European country, while one originated from within India. That particular email, received on May 2, threatened to blow up multiple government offices, including the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Kullu.
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The investigating agency, with assistance from the State CID Cyber Cell, has also identified the Indian state from which the email was sent,” an officer, privy to the instigations, said.
Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting.
Professional Background
Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters.
Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India.
Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions.
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh:
1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth.
2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025).
3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025)
4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025)
Legal & Agricultural Affairs
"Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned.
"Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur.
3. Governance & Environment
"Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act.
"Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters.
Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc:
crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023)
Signature Beats
Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs.
X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar
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