Woman in veil triggers bomb scare in school

Sources said a veiled woman came to drop her child at the Hindu Senior Secondary School of Rama Mandi around 8am. As there were no security guards at the school gate, she took her ward straight to the classroom. A teacher, Navtej Singh, who had never seen her before, grew suspicious and informed the police.

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Soon, authorities took the woman to the principal’s room. It was later found out that it was usual for women from the locality to wear a veil when they went outside. The child of the woman also identified the woman as his mother. “The matter was resolved in a few minutes,” said Manjit Singh, assistant sub-inspector.

“But unfortunately, a rumour soon spread to RMM DAV Public School that someone was seen planting explosives in the bag of a student.” The rumour spread like fire across the town aided by social media.

Naresh Kumar, whose child studies in RMM DAV Public School, said he saw police force outside Hindu Senior Secondary School.

Panicking, he went to withdraw his son from the day’s classes. “Within a few minutes, hundreds of parents reached the school and entered classrooms to pick their children. School authorities had no choice but declare a holiday. As a matter of precaution, students were asked to leave their bags inside the classes for checking,” said Raghbir Singh, CID inspector.

Other schools followed suit and the police began checking bags and sniffer dogs were called to the scene. But they found nothing. “Everything is fine and we found nothing objectionable in any school. But traffic management was difficult. With many parents moving their children, the narrow roads of this small town were choked,” said Manjit Singh.

“Students started running out of the school campus. It could have caused a stampede,” a parent said.