New Delhi: The probe into the latest hoax bomb threat case lodged in South Delhi has uncovered the use of chat rooms on the dark web, online discussions on sending hoax bomb threats to schools, and the suspected involvement of several students in this groupthink, ThePrint has learnt.
The Delhi Police have, so far, apprehended a Class 12 student in connection with 23 threat emails sent to schools across South Delhi last week—including The Frank Anthony Public School, Springdales School, G.D. Goenka Public School, and St. Columba’s School.
According to sources in the Delhi Police, investigators suspect that the Class 12 student is part of a larger group that planned the hoax bomb threats in the chatrooms on the dark web, accessed via the Tor browser.
“During questioning, the student initially said he had been sending them (threats) for fun. However, during questioning, he revealed that there were other students, too. They all did it together,” a source said. “We are questioning students, both boys and girls, to assess their involvement. It appears like more students were involved in this.”
The police have sent the mobile phone of the apprehended student for forensics examination.
“We are collecting evidence to establish what he said. He also changed his statements multiple times. All this was through Tor, so there is no way to view the history directly. It requires technical investigation. Further probe is on,” another source said.
The latest bomb threats were sent Wednesday by email, using Gmail.
The apprehended student has confessed to not only sending the 23 recent threats but also admitted to his involvement in earlier such threats.
In December last year, at least 30 schools received bomb threats via email. Sources said they suspect the student’s involvement, adding that he was also involved in threats from before that.
Investigators are now trying to ascertain how many schools the student and the suspected group linked to him have so far targeted, as well as their motives.
“He would tag multiple schools in the email to avoid trouble—so that no one suspects a student from his school has done it. So far, he has said that this was so he could boast in front of his friends and peers that he could shut a school down and get exams cancelled. However, we are trying to verify if this was the only motive and on which dates his school had an exam,” the second source said.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
Students at Delhi schools are the worst in the nation. They are involved in all sorts of shady activities. Be it drugs or alcohol or mms scandals or even criminal activities such as rape and murder – Delhi students far outshine their counterparts fron rest of India