Hours after blast near Israel embassy, bomb threat call for Tehran flight

The boarding for the flight was put on hold and all 94 passengers were subjected to security checks again, and their luggage was re-scanned.

Hours after a low-intensity IED blast outside the Israeli embassy in the national capital, a Mahan Air flight to Tehran, scheduled to depart the New Delhi international airport at 12.55 am on Saturday, was delayed by more than eight hours following what officials said was an intelligence alert over a bomb threat.

An airport official, who wished not to be named, said an intelligence input was received around 11pm on Friday following which the boarding process for Flight W5 070 was immediately put on hold. (HT File Photo)

The boarding for the flight was put on hold and all 94 passengers were subjected to security checks again, and their luggage was re-scanned.

An officer with knowledge of the developments said that details of all passengers going to Iran and Iraq from India are being verified in detail. Instructions have also been given to obtain details of passengers who recently arrived in India from the two countries and run a detailed background check on them, the officer said.

An airport official, who wished not to be named, said an intelligence input was received around 11pm on Friday following which the boarding process for Flight W5 070 was immediately put on hold.

Mahan Air did not respond to HT’s request for a comment.

Another officer said instructions have been given to minutely scan details of all passengers landing in India from Iran or Iraq. The flight manifests of passengers coming in from these countries are being closely monitored.

“After yesterday’s (Friday’s) incident in New Delhi, scrutiny on passengers coming in from selective countries has been increased. In addition to this, details of passengers who had landed in India in the past few weeks are also being obtained to re-verify their credentials,” the officer said.

During the initial probe into Friday’s blast that took place outside the Israeli embassy in Lutyens’ Delhi, the police found an envelope that purportedly had names of two recently assassinated Iranian nationals.

The low-intensity blast damaged at least three vehicles parked close by. Even though no person was injured, the incident triggered an alert among the security agencies because of the sensitive location. The security of important installations in the national capital was increased immediately after the blast, including Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport.

Commenting on the increased security, deputy commissioner of police (IGIA) Rajeev Ranjan said that along with additional deployment, more pickets to check the incoming vehicles and spotters on watchtowers, they have also armed plainclothesmen deployed at the airport to secure the perimeter.

The CISF has also increased its presence on the airside of the airport and airlines have also been directed to remain vigilant.