Patna: Civil court complexes in Bhagalpur, Siwan and Muzaffarpur in Bihar were evacuated on Wednesday after authorities received an email warning of an imminent bomb blast, officials said.
According to the threat message, an explosion was scheduled to take place at around 12pm, prompting immediate security measures and the suspension of court proceedings across the three districts.
In Bhagalpur, the email was addressed to the principal district and sessions judge, Dharmendra Kumar Singh. Following the alert, police and district administration officials moved swiftly to clear the court premises and secure the area. Security was intensified both inside and outside the complex.
The district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police visited the site to assess the situation. A bomb disposal squad and dog squad were deployed as a precaution, and a detailed search of the premises was carried out. No explosives had been recovered at the time of reporting.
Judicial staff, lawyers and visitors were asked to leave the buildings, and court work was suspended in the interest of safety.
Officials said the Patna high court was informed immediately after the email was received. Senior police and administrative officers were also alerted, and directions were issued to enhance security at the affected court complexes.
The latest threat comes weeks after similar emails were sent on January 8 to several courts in Bihar, including Patna civil court, Patna City court, and courts in Kishanganj, Gaya and Madhubani. Those messages claimed that explosives had been planted and threatened blasts using RDX.
Police said the earlier emails contained lengthy political claims and references to extremist groups, but investigations found no explosives at any of the locations. Authorities are examining whether the latest threat is linked to the earlier incidents.
An investigation is under way to trace the origin of the email, officials said, adding that cybercrime units have been roped in to identify the sender.
