The Delhi High Court (HC) demanded a detailed response from the Delhi Government and Delhi Police regarding their preparedness and procedures for handling bomb threats in schools today, Monday, May 6, states IANS.
Hearing a plea submitted by attorney Arpit Bhargava, Justice Subramonium Prasad was informed that last year, Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, sent a bomb threat email. However, it was later discovered to be a "just for fun" prank by one of the students, reports IANS.
A parent, Bhargava, had recently submitted an application claiming that three of the five bomb threat situations reported in schools last year had not been investigated or resolved, states the report.
Between 5.47 am and 2.13 pm last week, the emergency helpline number 112 received 125 bomb threat complaints from various schools.
In his appeal, Bhargava argues that in the event of a bomb threat, there isn't a coordinated action plan in place to guarantee the protection and safety of students, staff, and teachers.
According to IANS, Justice Prasad requested details regarding the precise responsibilities of nodal officers designated to handle such threats, the number of mock drills conducted, and the preparedness measures in place across different zones.
The authorities have been given 10 days by the court to submit an affidavit outlining their existing procedures and the circulars they have published on the subject.
Bhargava criticised the current absence of specific procedures suited to the particular setting of schools and highlighted the importance of creating a comprehensive action plan.
In court, the counsel for the Delhi Government, Santosh Kumar Tripathi, assured that the police have a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for responding to both hoax and real threats, which includes immediate police notification and evacuation protocols, states the IANS report.
However, Justice Prasad expressed concern that these SOPs might be too generalised and not sufficiently focused on the specific needs of schools, which range from nursery to high school levels.
Additionally, submissions showed that while mock drills are regularly conducted, there is a critical need for a more specialised SOP that addresses the unique vulnerabilities of educational institutions.
The court stressed the necessity of involving parents in these drills and ensuring that every school has a robust and rehearsed evacuation plan.
The matter is set to be heard next on May 16, states IANS.
