In response to a rising wave of hoax bomb threats targeting domestic and international flights, senior officials from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) met with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Monday to discuss security measures and preventive strategies.
CISF Director General RS Bhatti and BCAS Director General Zulfiquarr Hasan held a meeting at the Home Ministry, outlining the impact of these fake threats. The officials provided a comprehensive briefing on the recent string of hoax bomb calls, which have disrupted airport operations, triggered panic among passengers, and necessitated exhaustive security procedures by aviation authorities, intelligence agencies, and other departments.
Sources cited by ANI said that the discussions emphasized the need for heightened vigilance and seamless coordination between security agencies to contain the growing threat. Officials highlighted the severe implications such incidents pose to aviation safety and public confidence, stressing the urgency of proactive countermeasures.
The issue intensified on October 20, when over 20 flights operated by IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Vistara received bomb threats. IndiGo responded by issuing multiple press statements detailing the false alarms.
In the past week alone, more than 90 flights have been targeted by bomb threats, most of which turned out to be hoaxes. This escalation followed an October 19 meeting between BCAS officials and airline CEOs, which was convened after 70 similar hoax threats were reported the previous week.
Airport operations have faced major disruptions, with security personnel forced to divert several aircraft to isolation bays for extensive checks. Both passengers and staff have been impacted by delays and heightened security procedures, leading to frustrations at multiple airports across the country.
(Inputs from ANI)