Malkangiri, April 13: Panic gripped the District and Sessions Court in Malkangiri after a threatening email claimed that a bomb had been planted inside the court premises.

Following the alert, judges, lawyers, and court staff immediately evacuated the complex as a precautionary measure. Police rushed to the spot and launched a thorough search operation.

Sniffer dogs and a bomb disposal squad, along with BSF personnel, were pressed into service to scan the premises. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the credibility of the threat.

Earlier incidents:

A similar incident was reported earlier at the Khurda District and Sessions Court in Bhubaneswar, which was placed on high alert following an anonymous email warning of explosives inside the court premises. Commissionerate Police evacuated lawyers, staff, litigants, and visitors, while sniffer dog teams conducted extensive searches in and around the court building.

In another such case, Cuttack and several other parts of Odisha were put on high alert after multiple courts received anonymous emails threatening damage to court premises. Security agencies intensified checks and deployed specialized teams, although most such threats were later found to be hoaxes.