High Alert in Nainital Uttarakhand High Court Placed Under Lockdown After Drone Bomb Threat:

The "City of Lakes" has been on edge for the past 96 hours. On Thursday, February 19, 2026, the administrative machinery of Uttarakhand was thrown into a state of panic yet again when a fresh email threat specifically targeted the Uttarakhand High Court and the Nainital District Court.

Unlike previous messages, this latest threat introduced a terrifying new variable: the claim that the court complex would be targeted via drone-delivered explosives.

1. The Threat: A Calculated Escalation

The series of threats began on February 16, but Thursday’s message was the most specific yet.

The Method: The anonymous sender claimed that drones carrying explosive devices would be used to target the judge's chambers and main court premises.

The Motive: Similar to previous emails sent to courts in Dehradun, Haridwar, and Uttarkashi, the sender mentioned political and social demands, including opposition to EWS reservation in Tamil Nadu and references to Brahmin domination.

The "Pakistan Connection": The email reportedly ended with provocative slogans like "Pakistan-DMK Model Zindabad," leading investigators to suspect a deliberate attempt to mislead authorities using a "VPN mask."

2. The Urgent Response: Metal Detectors and Evacuation

As soon as the threat was received via the High Court’s official email ID, security agencies swung into action:

Immediate Fortification: In an urgent response, police authorities installed metal detectors at every entrance to the High Court and District Court.

Evacuation: The District Court’s chambers and the entire complex were briefly evacuated to allow the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS) and Dog Squad to conduct a sweep.

Tightened Frisking: Every individual—including advocates, court staff, and litigants—is now being subjected to rigorous physical searching and digital screening before entry.

3. A State-Wide Pattern

The High Court threat is not an isolated incident. Over the last four days, a wave of "hoax" emails has targeted district courts across the state:

Monday: Nainital District Court and Uttarkashi.

Tuesday: Rudraprayag and Tehri Garhwal.

Wednesday: Dehradun and Haridwar.

Thursday: The Uttarakhand High Court.

4. The Investigation: STF vs. Cyber Shadows

The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttarakhand Police, led by SSP Ajai Singh, is now leading the probe.

VPN Challenges: Preliminary findings suggest the emails are being sent using sophisticated VPNs to hide the sender's location.

The Hoax Theory: While no explosive material has been found in any of the searches, the STF is not taking chances. They believe the sender’s goal is to "study BDDS search techniques" and cause administrative chaos, as explicitly stated in one of the intercepted emails.

For now, the High Court remains a fortress. While judicial proceedings have resumed following the security sweeps, the atmosphere in Nainital remains tense, with heavy police patrolling and constant drone surveillance by the police themselves to counter the "drone threat" mentioned in the mail.