About 100 schools in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) received identical bomb threat emails in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering panic and police searches, as parents rushed to the campuses to pick up their children.

Later, security agencies declared the threat a “hoax” as “nothing objectionable” was found during their searches.

Sources in Delhi police said the identical emails, which the schools received, had the same source, suspected to be sent from a Russian domain aimed at creating panic. It was, however, not clear whether the email originated from there.

“Investigation into the origin of the hoax emails sent to schools has revealed that while the sender used a Russian IP (internet protocol) address, the role of an organisation and the conspiracy behind it is being probed,” said a Delhi Police officer.

The schools received the threats on their official email IDs around 4am Wednesday.

Delhi’s lieutenant governor V.K. Saxena said the police have found the origin of the threat emails and an investigation was on. “I want to assure the people that Delhi police is fully prepared and we will try to prevent any untoward incident from happening,” the LG said.

The Union home ministry termed the bomb threat a “hoax” and asked people to maintain peace and abstain from panicking, as the police and security agencies were taking necessary steps as per protocol.

The Delhi police said it carried out thorough checks in the schools that received the threat but found nothing. According to Delhi Fire Service (DFS), at least 97 calls from different schools were received till noon on Wednesday and all the calls were attended.

Amid the bedlam, fire tenders, ambulances and lines of police vehicles were seen on stand-by outside the schools, while bomb-detection teams and bomb-disposal squads conducted searches on the campuses. Several schools called and sent messages to the parents to urgently pick up their children from the institutions.

In an email to parents, a reputable Delhi school wrote: “This is to inform you that the school has received an email that threatens the safety and security of the students. As a precautionary measure, we are sending the students back home immediately.”

Several schools were evacuated after the local police were informed and panic-stricken parents rushed to pick up their children.

Delhi education minister Atishi said nothing suspicious had been found yet in any of the schools.

“Some schools have received bomb threats today (Wednesday) morning. Students have been evacuated and those premises are being searched by Delhi Police. So far nothing has been found in any of the schools. We are in constant touch with the police and the schools. Would request parents and citizens not to panic. School authorities will be in touch with parents wherever needed,” she wrote on X.