Vadodara Schools Rocked by Consecutive Bomb Threats

Vadodara, Gujarat – A wave of fear has gripped Vadodara for the second consecutive day, as Refinery English Medium CBSE School became the latest target of an alarming bomb threat. The incident, mirroring a similar threat against Navrachana School on Monday, has triggered a massive security response and left parents deeply worried about their children’s safety.

The latest threat, received via email by the school principal, chillingly stated, “A bomb has been planted in the school, this bomb will explode.” While the email was received yesterday, it was only discovered on Monday morning at 7:35 AM, prompting immediate police notification. Within minutes, teams from Jawaharnagar Police, the Bomb Squad, and Dog Squad swarmed the school, initiating a meticulous search operation. The Vadodara Crime Branch has also joined the ongoing investigation, highlighting the gravity of the situation.

The unsettling commonality between both incidents is the purported sender: an individual named “Umar Farooq.” This recurring name has become a central point of the police investigation, as authorities strive to unmask the perpetrator behind these unsettling hoaxes.

DCP Zone 1 Zuli Kothia confirmed the details, stating, “A bomb has been planted in Refinery English Medium School, a threat was received that the bomb will explode. A person named Umar Farooq sent the mail. But the mail was sent through a VPN connection.” She further elaborated, “The same kind of threat that was received in Navrachana School yesterday, has been received today. An investigation is being conducted to find out who is sending these types of mails and where they are coming from.”

The immediate priority upon receiving the threat was the safety of the students. All children were swiftly and safely dismissed from the school, leading to a palpable sense of relief tempered with lingering anxiety among parents. Reena Verma, a staff member at Refinery English Medium School, recounted the quick actions taken: “We were told by the principal to bring the children outside the school and make them stand in a line, so we took the children to a safe place. All the parents were informed, so they came to pick up the children. The children have reached home safely and currently checking is going on in the school.”

Given the school’s proximity to a refinery area, special security measures have been put in place. CISF personnel have been deployed in large numbers, and a fire brigade team is also on standby.

Yesterday’s bomb threat at Navrachana School in the Sama area had similarly sparked an intense three-and-a-half-hour search operation by police, bomb squads, and dog squads. Thankfully, no suspicious objects were found, providing a temporary sigh of relief for students and parents. This marks the second time in six months that Navrachana School has been targeted with such a threat, raising concerns about a pattern of intimidation.