On Friday, 7 Indigo flights received bomb threats. During the investigation, the news turned out to be false. (file image)
Bomb threats continue on the country’s domestic and international passenger flights. Bomb threats were received on 27 flights on Friday. According to media reports, around 7 flights each of IndiGo, Vistara and SpiceJet, while 6 flights of Air India received threats.
Six of the seven IndiGo flights that received bomb threats are: 6E 2099 (Udaipur to Delhi), 6E 11 (Delhi to Istanbul), 6E 58 (Jeddah to Mumbai), 6E 17 (Mumbai to Istanbul), 6E 108 (Hyderabad to Chandigarh). and 6E 133 (Pune to Jodhpur).
Flight 6E 2099 from Udaipur to Delhi received a threat 10 minutes before takeoff, after which the passengers on board the plane were deboarded. The interior of the flight and the passengers’ luggage were checked. The flight was dispatched after 3.5 hours when the bomb threat turned out to be false.
More than 280 Indian flights have received bomb threats in the past 12 days. Most of the threats were made via social media. The central government has asked social media platforms Meta and X to share data of fake bomb threat messages.
IT Ministry held virtual meeting with X-Meta On October 23 itself, the IT Ministry held a virtual meeting with social media platform X, Meta and airlines regarding these threats. The government had asked social media companies: “What have you done to stop the spread of these dangerous rumors?” These circumstances show that you encourage crime.
On October 21, Naidu had said that the names of those who raised bomb threats on board flights could be included in the “no-fly list”. The government is considering changes to aviation safety rules and the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Civil Aviation Safety Act 1982. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety (BCAS) is in constant contact with the Ministry of Interior on this issue.
4 actions of the central government in the face of threats
The number of Air Marshals has doubled: The central government decided on October 16 to double the number of air police present on flights. The same day, the Interior Ministry requested a report from the Aviation Ministry regarding false threats. CISF, NIA and IB have also been asked to submit reports.Meeting with airline CEOs: The Bureau of Civil Aviation Safety (BCAS) held a meeting with CEOs of all airlines on October 19. We discussed here the management of false threats. In addition, the inconvenience for passengers and losses for airlines were also discussed.The head of the DGCA dismissed from his position: On October 19, the Center removed DGCA chief Vikram Dev Dutt from the post and appointed him secretary in the coal ministry. This change was seen as being linked to threatening issues.2 arrests in Mumbai and Kochi: Mumbai Police arrested one person. Apart from this, a minor was arrested from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. Both had made a bomb threat during the Indigo flight. Meanwhile, on Monday, a passenger was arrested at Kerala’s Kochi airport on charges of raising a bomb threat.
Upon receiving a bomb threat, the plane lands at the nearest airport. As soon as he receives the information that there is a bomb on the plane, the plane lands at the nearest airport instead of its intended airport. Not only does this result in higher fuel consumption, but arrangements must also be made to double-check the plane, accommodate passengers in hotels and take them to their destination. It costs around Rs 3 crore per flight.
………………………………………….. ……………. ………
Minor threatened to explode bomb during flights, wrote on “X” – 6 kg of RDX-6 terrorists on the plane
Mumbai Police raided Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon in connection with a threat to bomb three flights from Mumbai on October 14. The police arrested 4 minors including the son of a mobile phone and computer businessman.