Chandigarh: Second bomb hoax in week, two IndiGo flights hit

Earlier on October 19, a hoax bomb threat was received regarding a Hyderabad-Chandigarh IndiGo flight (6E108), carrying 200 passengers. The flight had, however, landed safely and no bomb was found on it.

In the second such incident this week, a hoax bomb threat was received at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali, on Friday, affecting two IndiGo flights.

In the last 12 days, more than 275 flights operated by the Indian carriers have received bomb threats. Most of the threats were issued through social media. (PTI)

Earlier on October 19, a hoax bomb threat was received regarding a Hyderabad-Chandigarh IndiGo flight (6E108), carrying 200 passengers. The flight had, however, landed safely and no bomb was found on it.

Friday’s threat message was received as a private message on the IndiGo Airlines’ X account.

It mentioned five flights, including Hyderabad to Chandigarh (6E108) and Chandigarh to Ahmedabad flight (6E112).

The Chandigarh-Ahmedabad flight had taken off on schedule at 11:58am. However, after reaching Ahmedabad, the flight was isolated on arrival, with all passengers undergoing thorough checks before being allowed to leave the aircraft. Despite the exhaustive inspections, no dangerous or suspicious items were found on either flight.

At Mohali, the police, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and airport authorities responded swiftly, isolating the Hyderabad-Chandigarh flight as soon as it landed at 12:28am and inspected over 150 passengers’ belongings, causing a three-hour delay. Passengers were prevented from disembarking until the checks were completed.

Ajay Verma, CEO of International Airport Chandigarh, confirmed that despite finding nothing suspicious, security measures were necessary for public safety. He said investigative agencies are tracing the origin of the threat message to ensure safety protocol compliance.

This is the latest in a series of bomb threats received by various airlines on domestic and international routes. In the last 12 days, more than 275 flights operated by the Indian carriers have received bomb threats. Most of the threats were issued through social media.