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Bomb threat targeting Mumbai airport, Taj Mahal Palace turns out to be hoax
Security teams carried out detailed searches at the airport and the luxury hotel in suburban Santacruz, but no suspicious object was found.
An email sent to Mumbai Police, threatening to bomb the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport and the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, triggered a security alert but turned out to be a hoax.
The email was received in the inbox of the Airport Police Station on Friday morning, PTI quoted unnamed officials as saying.
Following the threat, security teams conducted thorough searches at the airport and the luxury hotel in suburban Santacruz. However, no suspicious object was found, according to a PTI report citing police officials.
“Urgent: 7 RDX IEDs at TAJ Hotel/Airport, Evacuate All Public/Staffs Soon! The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai and the Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Airport will fall victim to a devastating pipe bomb blast. This act commemorates the unjust hanging of Afzal Guru and Savukku Shankar!” the email stated.
Police have registered a case against an unidentified sender for criminal intimidation, public mischief, and other offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Further investigation is underway, the official added.
A different hoax
In a separate scare, the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata was placed on high alert on May 13 after an unidentified caller claimed there was a bomb on a flight, officials said.
The threat was made against IndiGo flight 6E5227, which was scheduled to fly from Kolkata to Mumbai. All passengers on board were safely taken off the aircraft as a precaution.
“The call came after the passengers had checked in. The flight was scheduled to take off at 1.30pm and land in Mumbai at 4.20pm. All 195 passengers were asked to deplane following emergency protocol and the aircraft was taken to the isolation bay,” an airport official had said, requesting anonymity.
“Luggages have been unloaded from the aircraft. Bomb squad personnel are on board. They are scanning the aircraft. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel have tightened security all over the airport,” the official had added.
