A day after more than 200 schools in Delhi-NCR received bomb threat e-mails, the Delhi Police reached out to Russian mailing service company Mail.ru via Interpol to trace the source of the e-mails, according to official sources.
Police have also contacted the CBI through Interpol channels for information regarding the threat e-mails.
The FIR registered in connection with the case stated that the intention of the bomb hoax e-mails was to create mass panic and disturb public order in the national capital, against unknown persons.
Over 200 schools in Delhi-NCR received a hoax bomb threat via e-mail on Wednesday morning, prompting authorities to suspend classes and ask parents to pick up their children.
Police sources revealed that investigators used social media intelligence teams to examine the e-mail ID — ‘sawariim@mail.ru’, and approached the Russian company to trace the IP address of the device from which the e-mail was sent.
According to police, the sender likely used a VPN to hide their identity while sending the e-mail.
In a similar incident in 2023, a school in south Delhi also received a hoax threat e-mail from the same mail service, mail.ru, which remains unresolved.
In the latest case, Delhi Police has sought assistance from the company via Interpol to access sender details.
However, a cyber security expert cautioned that tracking the IP address could be challenging if the sender used a VPN or proxy server.
Many schools reopened on Thursday, though attendance was affected, prompting schools to reassure parents of safety measures.
The Delhi Police also contacted the CBI through Interpol channels for information on the hoax bomb threat e-mail, officials said.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), designated as Interpol India, is responsible for communication and coordination with Interpol.
The agency is expected to forward information to Interpol for dissemination to member law enforcement agencies worldwide.
Investigators are also collaborating with IFSO and other agencies, including the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), to solve the case.
The FIR has been registered at Special Cell Police Station under IPC sections 505 (2), 507, and 120 (B). (With inputs from PTI)
