The passenger who was about to board the plane was detained after he told the airline's security officer that he had a bomb with him, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said
The passenger who was about to board the plane was detained after he told the airline's security officer that he had a bomb with him. Representational Pic/File
An aircraft of a private airline was on Tuesday afternoon taken to the isolation bay at the Kolkata airport in West Bengal for a thorough security check after a passenger told a security officer that he had a bomb, officials said, reported the PTI.
The passenger who was about to board the plane was detained after he told the airline's security officer that he had a bomb with him, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official said, according to the PTI.
The 26-year-old passenger, travelling to Mumbai from Imphal with a stopover in Kolkata, made the comment during the step ladder point check, a secondary-level security procedure under which airline staff frisk passengers and their hand luggage just before boarding, he said.
"The passenger's claim was declared specific, security was beefed up, and standard operating procedure (SOP) implemented," he added, as per the PTI.
The passenger arrived in Kolkata by an Indigo flight and was supposed to take another flight of the same airline to Mumbai.
Out of the total of 186 passengers who were supposed to take the flight to Mumbai from Kolkata, 179 had already boarded, the official said.
The flight was supposed to depart for Mumbai at 1.30 pm, but it was delayed as the aircraft was vacated and taken to the isolation bay for a thorough check, he said.
In a statement, the airline said, "IndiGo flight 6E 5227 operating from Kolkata to Mumbai received a bomb threat prior to departure. In accordance with security protocols, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay at Kolkata airport. All necessary checks were conducted, and the standard operating procedures were followed."
Security has been strengthened at all airports in the country following the India-Pakistan military conflict.
Mumbai Police receive bomb threat email; probe underway
Meanwhile, in an another incident, Mumbai Police has received an email threat warning of potential bomb blasts in the city within the next 48 hours. The email was sent to the official address of the Maharashtra control room by a sender named 'Mamta Borse', on Monday.
According to a police officer, the email read: “A major explosion could happen any time, at any place. Please do not ignore this warning.”
Though the email lacked specific details regarding the timing or location of the bomb threat, security agencies are treating it with utmost seriousness. Sensitive locations--including railway stations, religious places, and government buildings--have been put on high alert.
Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads (BDDS) have been deployed and are actively conducting checks at these high-risk spots along with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Meanwhile, the Railway Police have launched separate anti-sabotage operations across station premises to ensure commuter safety.
The Cyber Police are currently leading the investigation into the origin and authenticity of the email. Efforts are underway to trace the sender and determine whether the threat is credible or a hoax.
(with PTI inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
