Mumbai airport gets bomb hoax call, FIR registered

Bomb hoax call at Mumbai airport's terminal 1 led to chaos and panic, with authorities searching for explosives. Offender's location being traced.

MUMBAI: The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) received a bomb hoax call warning at terminal 1 (domestic airport) on Friday. A police complaint was registered with the Airport police after a thorough sweep of the premises.

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According to a senior executive of the Mumbai International Airport Limited, the call came through on Friday morning wherein the caller just said, ‘bomb terminal 1’. Despite not being told much, the authorities pressed the bomb detection squad into action immediately.

“During the call, I tried to ask the caller where he was calling from. He said Navpada. I asked him where the bomb was, to which he said it was around gate number 1 of terminal 1. Before I could ask anything else, he said best of luck and disconnected,” the executive who attended the call told the police.

The threat was categorised as ‘nonspecific’ by the internal bomb threat detection committee of MIAL. They still made all possible efforts to look for explosives around the specified entrance. However, no bomb or explosives were found on the premises.

“The caller caused chaos, panic and fear among the authorities as well as the flyers. We have registered an offence under sections 505 (1) (b) (spreading a rumour with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the State or against the public tranquility), 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code,” said deputy commissioner of police for zone 8 Dixitkumar Gedam. He said the work of tracing the location of the offender is underway.