The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday sought a report from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) regarding a series of bomb threats made against various airlines across the country.
In the last 48 hours, at least 13 bomb threats have been reported by different airlines on both domestic and international routes, all of which have been determined to be hoaxes.
A senior official from the MHA confirmed that instructions have been issued to the MoCA, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to submit reports on the recent incidents. The official added that the investigation would be monitored by central intelligence agencies to determine whether the threats are part of a conspiracy to harm the reputation of India’s aviation sector.
The official also said that cyber units have been alerted to monitor and track social media accounts posting threats. Most of these accounts were found to be operated from outside the country, and action has been taken to suspend them as soon as they come to notice.
Two flights received bomb threats on Wednesday and were turned back and diverted for security clearance.
An Indigo spokesperson informed that Flight 6E 651, operating from Mumbai to Delhi, was redirected to Ahmedabad due to a security-related alert. The aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked. Ensuring the safety and security of our customers and crew remains paramount in all facets of our operations.
(Inputs: ANI)