Mumbai airport gets threat; caller claims 'Azerbaijan traveller' carrying bomb
What's the story
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai was placed on high alert after a bomb threat on Wednesday afternoon. An anonymous call was received at the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) control room around 3:00pm, claiming that a passenger named Mohammad was headed to Azerbaijan with explosives. The caller did not mention the flight details and hung up suddenly, per reports.
Security response
Immediate response and security measures
On receiving the threat, the CISF immediately alerted Sahar Police who carried out a detailed security sweep of the airport premises. Surveillance was heightened and detailed checks were conducted to ensure the safety of passengers. This incident comes amid a recent spate of bomb threats to Indian airlines, with over 450 hoax calls reported in October alone.
NIA action
National Investigation Agency steps up security
In light of the increasing number of hoax calls, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has stepped up security at airports across India. In October, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY had also issued an advisory to all social media platforms directing them to adhere to Information Technology (IT) rules and Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). The ministry had warned that failure to remove posts related to bomb threats in a timely manner could lead to legal action.