IndiGo bomb threat email triggers security alert at 5 airports
What's the story
IndiGo Airlines received a bomb threat email on Wednesday, triggering heightened security at five major international airports in India. The email was sent to the Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram, and Hyderabad airports around 3:30pm. Although the threat was assessed as "non-specific," lacking credible or actionable details, security protocols were activated as a precautionary measure.
Plane diverted
Air India Express flight diverted to Varanasi
An Air India Express flight received a bomb threat on Wednesday, prompting an emergency landing at Varanasi airport. The airline's spokesperson said, "One of our flights to Varanasi received a security threat. In line with protocol, the Government-appointed Bomb Threat Assessment Committee was immediately alerted, and all necessary security procedures promptly initiated. The flight landed safely, and all guests have been disembarked. The aircraft will be released for operations once all mandated security checks are completed."
IGIA T3
Threat to Delhi's Terminal 3 turns out to be hoax
Meanwhile, the Delhi Police confirmed that the fire brigade received a call at 4pm on Wednesday about a bomb being found at Delhi Airport's Terminal 3. Upon investigating the scene, however, it was ruled a hoax. The email was received on IndiGo's grievance portal and mentioned several other airports, including Delhi, Chennai, and Goa. The airport operator, DIAL, advised travelers to arrive early for their flights due to enhanced security measures.
Recent incident
Threat assessment amid recent car blast in Delhi
The bomb threat email came days after a car blast near the Red Fort metro station in Delhi. The explosion killed 13 people and triggered a nationwide security alert. In response to this attack, security measures at major transportation hubs, such as airports, railway stations, and metro networks, had already been stepped up across the country.
Terror investigation
Terror module behind Delhi blast identified, arrested
The recent blast near the Red Fort metro station was linked to a "white-collar terror module." This group, which spanned across Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, was associated with Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind. The police arrested eight people in connection with this case, including three doctors from a university. They also seized 2,900kg of explosives as part of their investigation into this terror plot.