Pune's Shivajinagar court evacuated after bomb threat email; hearings halted

The Shivajinagar District and Sessions Court in Pune received an email on Monday morning threatening a bomb attack. The email alerted officials and asked them to vacate the premises as a precaution. Security at the court was tightened afterwards.

The sudden evacuation derailed hearings. Lawyers, litigants and court staff waited outside the complex for a long time.

A team of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) reached the court and inspected the premises to assess the threat. Security personnel also took precautionary measures so that everyone inside the building could be taken out safely.

The threat was not limited to Pune. District and Sessions Courts in Satara, Thane, Beed, Hingoli and Solapur are also said to have received similar emails warning of a bomb attack on Monday morning.

Following these alerts, security agencies at the affected places were put on alert. Court buildings were evacuated in several districts and bomb detection teams began searches.

The court's daily work at Shivajinagar was affected. Scheduled hearings were stalled, and people who had come to the court did not know what would happen to the proceedings. The sudden exodus also created chaos in the court area.

Investigating agencies are now trying to find out who sent the emails and where they originated. Officials are looking into the threats and carrying out security checks to establish whether there is a real danger or whether the messages were sent to spread panic.

Inspection and checks at the court premises are still under way. Further details on the matter are awaited.