Vadodara’s Navrachana School evacuated after receiving bomb threat message

Panic gripped Vadodara's prominent Navrachana School (Sama campus) on Monday after the school received a bomb threat message, prompting an immediate response from law enforcement agencies and a hurried evacuation of students.

Vadodara, June 23: Panic gripped Vadodara’s prominent Navrachana School (Sama campus) on Monday after the school received a bomb threat message, prompting an immediate response from law enforcement agencies and a hurried evacuation of students.

The school management alerted the police shortly after receiving the threat, following which teams from the local police station, bomb disposal squad, Detection of Crime Branch, Prevention of Crime Branch, and Crime Branch rushed to the campus.

Within an hour of the school to start, parents were urgently notified to collect their children, leading to a chaotic scene as dozens rushed to the school premises. Classes had resumed just a week ago following the summer vacation, and the school was operating as usual when the threat was received. Students were asked to return home as a precautionary measure while authorities began an intensive security sweep of the premises.

This is not the first such incident. In January 2025, Navrachana School received a similar bomb threat. A thorough investigation was conducted at the time, but no explosives or suspicious materials were found, allowing the administration to breathe a sigh of relief. As of now, officials continue to comb the area to rule out any danger, and a detailed investigation has been launched.

Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of a hoax but are treating the threat with utmost seriousness in light of the previous incident. Police have appealed to the people to remain calm and cooperative as security protocols are followed. Gujarat has witnessed several bomb threat incidents in recent years, many of which turned out to be hoaxes but triggered large-scale panic and police mobilisation.

In early 2023, multiple schools in Ahmedabad, including DPS Bopal and Anand Niketan, received email threats of explosives being planted on campus, prompting swift evacuations and searches.

In 2022, a similar email scare was reported in Surat schools. In each case, bomb squads and cybercrime units were deployed, but no actual explosives were found. Authorities suspect most of these threats originate from pranksters or mischief-makers exploiting digital anonymity to create fear.