New Delhi/Mumbai, Oct 16 : A total of seven flights received bomb threats on Wednesday, bringing the number of impacted flights to 19 over the past three days. The Union government has assured that law enforcement agencies are actively investigating all cases, with the Mumbai Police arresting a minor for issuing threats to three flights.
Several flights were delayed, diverted, or forced to return mid-air due to bomb threats received via social media, putting security agencies on high alert. The Delhi Police has registered an FIR and launched an investigation into the threats targeting multiple flights over the last two days.
On Wednesday, bomb threats were reported on at least three IndiGo flights, two SpiceJet flights, and an Akasa Air flight. IndiGo’s Riyadh-Mumbai flight had to be diverted to Muscat as a precaution.
Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu confirmed that law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing all cases of bomb threats against airlines, and the government is closely monitoring the situation. He condemned any attempts to compromise the safety and security of the aviation sector, assuring that those responsible will be identified and prosecuted.
In total, 19 flights operated by Indian carriers have received bomb threats in the last three days, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. The Mumbai Police arrested a minor involved in making threats to three of these flights.
A Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight carrying 184 people returned to Delhi on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a bomb threat. Akasa Air confirmed the alert and said it was handled with the utmost care.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI) Usha Rangnani stated that airport police have responded to eight bomb threat incidents in October. All threats were verified as hoaxes after thorough inspection. Legal action has been initiated against those responsible for the false alarms.
On Monday, Civil Aviation Minister Naidu chaired a high-level meeting with officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and other agencies to address the situation. The minister assured that all necessary steps are being taken to safeguard aviation operations.
In addition to the threats received on Wednesday, nine flights were targeted on Tuesday. One Air India flight, AI 127 from Delhi to Chicago, was diverted to a Canadian airport due to a bomb threat. Passengers were later flown to Chicago by a Canadian Air Force aircraft. Another Air India Express flight from Madurai to Singapore was escorted by fighter jets after receiving a threat, though it landed safely at Changi Airport.
The wave of hoax bomb threats has prompted security agencies to tighten measures and ensure the continued safety of passengers and flight operations.
