Bomb threat emails trigger alert in Ranchi, Dhanbad, Sahibganj; security tightened 

Ranchi — A series of bomb threat emails targeting government offices and court complexes sparked panic across Jharkhand on Thursday, prompting authorities to heighten security in Ranchi, Dhanbad and Sahibganj.

Officials said threatening emails warning of explosions were sent to the Ranchi Collectorate and the civil courts in Dhanbad and Sahibganj, triggering a statewide alert. Police and security agencies rushed to the locations and launched extensive search operations.

In Ranchi, a threat received on the Deputy Commissioner’s official email led to a detailed search at the Collectorate by bomb disposal teams, which continued for several hours. Similar scenes were reported in Dhanbad and Sahibganj, where court proceedings were disrupted amid heightened security.

In Sahibganj, teams led by Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Singh evacuated the Rajmahal and Sahibganj court complexes, while dog squads carried out thorough searches.

This is the second such threat to the Dhanbad Civil Court within two weeks, increasing anxiety among lawyers and litigants. Earlier, on March 10, a threat email warned of using “cyanide bombs” at the Ranchi Civil Court, while another message on February 28 mentioned “RDX” explosives. Similar threats were also reported from the Bokaro Civil Court and a Passport Seva Kendra.

Preliminary technical investigations by Ranchi police suggest an inter-state link. Officials suspect the emails originated from Tamil Nadu, with a person identified as Uday Reddy emerging as a key suspect. Police believe he may have been motivated by grievances related to a legal dispute and could be targeting judicial and administrative institutions.

Authorities are probing whether he acted alone or as part of a wider network. A special Jharkhand Police team is expected to travel to Tamil Nadu to apprehend the suspect.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened across sensitive locations in the state, with additional deployment of forces and installation of metal detectors as precautionary measures.

With inputs from IANS