Common trail of Vande Mataram links school & assembly threat emails in Shimla
Shimla, August 22
A common reference to Vande Mataram in a series of threatening emails targeting institutions in Himachal Pradesh has drawn the attention of security agencies, with one communication warning of a blast at the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha and another targeting schools in Shimla.
The latest communication, forwarded to the Chief Secretary’s office, warned of a blast at the Assembly at 3.11 pm and also cautioned against singing Vande Mataram. The sender instead called for the recitation of a shabad of Guru Gobind Singh.
A similar reference appeared in an email received by St Edward’s School, Shimla, and subsequently forwarded to the Superintendent of Police. The email carried the subject “B00,MB Blast Shimla Schools @ 11:59AM” and contained references to Khalistan. It specifically warned, “Koi Ve Hindu Attwadi Gana Na Bolo” and “Vande Mataram Band Karoo”, while asking schools to recite “Deh Shiva Bar Mohe”.
The repeated reference to Vande Mataram in the two communications, coupled with threats of attacks on public institutions, has emerged as a common thread being examined by security and intelligence agencies. However, officials have not established any direct connection between the two emails or confirmed that they originated from the same organisation.
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The Assembly threat comes amid the ongoing Monsoon Session, where the first day witnessed a political controversy after the BJP raised the issue of singing Vande Mataram. The ruling side questioned the relevance of the issue to the business of the House. The subsequent threatening communication, carrying a warning against singing the national song, has added another dimension to the controversy.
The email circulated among senior authorities also contains references to several political figures, including Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Minister Vikramaditya Singh and Neeraj Kumar, son of Minister Chander Kumar. The contents and authenticity of these references are being examined.
Security agencies are tracing the digital origin of the communications and examining whether the threats are part of a coordinated attempt to create fear or disrupt government and educational institutions. Police have increased vigilance around the Assembly and other sensitive installations in Shimla.
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