Another day, at least four schools in Delhi were attacked by bomb threats, which later turned out to be false, the sixth such incident in 11 days. Apart from the incident where a young boy was arrested for sending a bomb threat because he did not want to be tested, no other fake case has been opened so far.
Police have found it difficult to track down criminals due to their use of VPNs to keep their location and IP addresses hidden. Combined with ProtonMail, an email service that offers end-to-end encryption, it is almost impossible for law enforcement authorities to track down the perpetrators.
All that is left for the Delhi Police to do is to personally check each and every bomb threat and declare them as hoaxes. Naturally, the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and BDT of the Delhi Police have been on their toes with the slew of hoax bomb threats being reported in schools in Delhi NCR. Movement from control rooms to regional BDT units was swift and frequent.
For the Bomb Squad staff, everything starts with the first call to the police control room on the 112 number. Within five to 10 minutes of the call, a seven-member BDT reaches the spot with an ROV (Remote Operation Vehicle),” said a BDS official.
This team, said the police officer, includes an inspector-level officer, two sub-inspectors, three head constables, a dog, and a dog that will sniff out explosives.
The team then begins the process of verifying whether the call is fake or not. “A lot of equipment has been deployed to find explosives. Non Linear Junction Detector (NLJD) and M-ION (Explosive Weapon Detector) are used first to detect if there is a visible explosion. DSMD (Deep Search Metal Detectors) are used to search for metal objects. RTBS, a portable X-ray machine, is used to inspect cables and switches inside closed objects. Since bomb suits do not guarantee 100 percent protection, robotic hands called Telescopic Manipulators are used to pick up suspicious objects. These arms are 10 feet long and are controlled by remotes,” said a BDS official.
If no bombs are found, which has been the case with all bomb calls in Delhi schools this year, the BDT announces the same.
If any suspicious or probable explosion is detected, BDT calls the BDS team of the concerned list to swing into action. “As the BDS team arrives, the BDT covers the detonator with a ‘bomb blanket’ to reduce the effect of a possible explosion. These blankets are made of special materials that control the spread of fragments,” explained the police officer.
The official added that the BDS (Crime), the lead agency, is in constant touch with the National Security Guard (NSG) and the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for latest technology and modern bomb disposal. machinery. “From suits to safety equipment, the guidelines are constantly updated by the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) when it comes to the machinery involved. We are visiting the NSG labs to work with them on comprehensive and effective ways to dispose of bombs,” said the officer.
However, in all cases so far this year, there has been no need to call BDS to the site. However, firefighters are always waiting nearby to ensure that no fire accidents occur. According to the police, the teams took about 30-45 minutes to thoroughly inspect the building. It may take more time if the building is larger or more complex in design.
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