The Delhi High Court has recently sought a response from the Delhi Police regarding hoax bomb threat incidents in schools, particularly in Delhi Public Schools and other educational institutions. The court issued a notice to the Delhi Police and Delhi Government based on a petition filed by Advocate Arpit Bhargav, with Advocate Beenashaw Nanda Soni representing the petitioner.

Justice Prathiba M Singh issued a notice on the plea filed by Advocate Arpit Bhargav, who argued that there is currently no action plan in place to address the incidents of hoax bomb threats in schools. The petitioner expressed concern that such incidents could have a significant impact and cause havoc in families. The notice was issued to draw attention to the lack of an action plan and prompt the authorities to take appropriate measures to address the issue.

The petitioner, whose child studies at Delhi Public School, argued that such hoax bomb threat incidents cause extreme trauma and stress to parents. In response, the court has called for a status report from the Delhi Police and has also requested a complete action plan to address the issue within six weeks.

Additionally, at the suggestion of the Delhi Government's counsel, the court has included the Action Committee of unaided schools and another organization representing schools as parties in the case. The petitioner has been directed to file an amended memo of the parties within one week, and the matter has been listed for further hearing on July 31.

The petitioner expressed dissatisfaction with the inaction and lackadaisical approach of the Delhi Government and Delhi Police in dealing with frequent bomb threat emails received by schools in Delhi. The petitioner seeks the formulation and implementation of a detailed action plan by the government and police to ensure the safety and security of children, teachers, staff, and other stakeholders in schools. The plan would also involve regular evacuation drills and other exercises to prepare students for such emergencies.

The petitioner also requests information on the steps taken by the Delhi Police in the recent past to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Moreover, the petitioner calls for the identification and strict action against the miscreants responsible for the hoax bomb threats, aiming to hold them accountable and prevent disruptions to regular schooling.

The petition highlights specific incidents, including a bomb threat email at INDIAN SCHOOL, Sadiq Nagar in November 2022 and another at DPS Mathura Road on April 12, 2023, where the petitioner's child studies. Both incidents were eventually confirmed as hoaxes. The petitioner emphasizes the need for concerted efforts and mechanisms to eliminate the chances of such incidents recurring, particularly in schools where the future generation is being nurtured.

The petitioner stresses the urgency of addressing the issues raised in the petition without further delay. A detailed action plan is requested, along with the formulation of standard operating procedures, regular evacuation drills involving parents and children, automatic emergency notifications, streamlined processes outside schools to prevent chaos, and other improvements. The petitioner suggests involving parents, teachers, and stakeholders in the policy-making process to gather suggestions anonymously.