Mumbai Schools Receive Bomb Threats; VPN Use Hampers Investigation

• 11 Mumbai schools received bomb threats via emails over the past two months.
• Threats were sent using VPNs from multiple countries to evade detection.
• Police suspect one sender; no explosives found; motive appears to be mischief.

Over the past two months, 11 schools and educational institutions across Mumbai have received bomb threat emails, prompting heightened security and concern among parents and authorities. The Mumbai Police have registered five FIRs so far, but internal sources confirm that the threats have targeted institutions in various areas, including Dombivli, Powai, Kandivali, Vile Parle, Govandi, and Samta Nagar.

Police investigations have revealed that the emails were sent from different accounts, but the content was nearly identical. This has led authorities to believe that a single individual may be responsible for all the threats. To hide their identity, the sender used Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) routed through several countries, including Sweden, Australia, the United States, Norway, and even Delhi, making it difficult for investigators to trace the origin.

The threat emails made alarming references to high-profile cases such as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks by Ajmal Kasab, the Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, and the Hyderabad gang rape case. They also included mentions of explosives like RDX, which added to the seriousness of the situation. According to the police, the use of foreign VPNs appears to be a deliberate move to avoid detection and stall the investigation.

Most of these emails were sent through Microsoft’s Hotmail and Outlook services, using newly created accounts with names like “Nakhiran.Gopal” and “Divij Prabhakar Lakshmi.” In some cases, the same person appears to have switched email IDs after sending initial threats, suggesting a calculated approach to avoid being tracked.

In recent cases, international schools in Kandivali and Govandi received threats within the same week. One of the emails was sent at 4:30 a.m. on June 24 to a school in Vile Parle. The email was spotted by school staff, who alerted the security team. The Chief Security Officer, Sanjay Tonpi, informed the Mumbai Police control room. A thorough inspection was conducted, and nothing suspicious was found. A formal case was then registered at the Vile Parle police station. Another school in the western suburbs also reported receiving a similar threat the same day.

Despite the panic caused by these messages, initial findings suggest that the motive may be to spread fear and create disruption, rather than a real terror threat. Police have asked parents and students to stay calm and not believe in unverified information circulating on social media. Investigations are ongoing, and cybersecurity teams are working with law enforcement to trace the origin of the threats.

Officials remain on alert, and schools have been advised to follow all safety protocols while police continue to monitor the situation.