Hoax Bomb Threats Disrupt Judicial Work in Multiple West Bengal Courts

PTI, Feb 24, 2026, Kolkata: Judicial activities were disrupted on Tuesday, as at least six courts across West Bengal received bomb threats, throwing security personnel into a tizzy and prompting evacuation and search operations in court premises, officials said.

The city sessions court and CJM (Bankshall) court in Kolkata, sub-divisional courts at Asansol and Durgapur in Paschim Bardhaman district, and the courts at Chuchura and Arambagh in Hooghly district received bomb threats over email in the morning, a senior police officer said. However, the security forces found no explosive material during the search operations in courts, he said.

The city sessions court and the CJM (Bankshall) court were vacated, and Kolkata Police bomb squad personnel, accompanied by sniffer dogs, checked the entire premises, the officer said. Similar operations were carried out at other courts in the state.

Asked if the simultaneous bomb threats in courts were linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out by judicial officers, CEO Manoj Agarwal said it was up to the state police to conduct an inquiry and find out the truth and those behind the hoax. "I think the police are already probing the bomb threats, and whether it is linked to any ongoing election-related exercise in the courts," Agarwal said.

In a hurriedly called press meet at the state secretariat Nabanna afterwards, Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty said a probe has been initiated to ascertain the source of the threat mails, and whether one individual or a group is involved. Chakravorty, who was accompanied by DGP Piyush Pandey and Kolkata Commissioner of Police Supratim Sarkar, told reporters that the West Bengal government is committed to provide security to judicial officers and others involved in the SIR process.

"There were separate mails threatening that bombs had been planted in two courts in the city, four other courts at the same time. All safety measures were taken, and a thorough check was conducted. However, nothing was found. The work at the courts resumed."