From Delhi's IGIA to Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore International Airport, several airports across the nation on Tuesday received bomb threat emails, prompting security forces to remain on high alert.
Following inspection at Delhi, officials found that the threat turned out to be a hoax. The flight was then cleared to proceed to its destination.
From Delhi's IGIA to Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore International Airport, several airports across the nation on Tuesday received bomb threat emails, prompting security forces to remain on high alert.
Officials confirmed that as many as 41 airports across India received bomb threat emails on Tuesday.
The emails at the airports were received from the email id exhumedyou888@gmail.com. The airports immediately took up contingency measures and carried out anti-sabotage checks and swept through the terminals after recommendations from the respective Bomb Threat Assessment Committee, news agency PTI reported citing sources.
An online group, identified as "KNR", is suspected to be behind these hoax threat emails. Reportedly, this is the same group that sent similar emails to multiple schools in Delhi-NCR on May 1, sources added.
The messages that these emails carried were also almost similar. They read, "Hello, there are explosives hidden in the Airport. The bombs will explode soon. You will all die."
However, all the airports reported the threats to be hoax, noting that all operations continued unhindered to the best of these facilities' capabilities.
DELHI
The series of threats began with a Dubai-bound plane receiving a bomb threat via email, ahead of its take off from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi.
The plane, which had 286 passengers from Chennai, was thoroughly checked by security personnel. The flight was scheduled for departure around 10:30 am on Tuesday, officials said.
"On Monday, at 9.35 am an email was received in DIAL office, of the IGI Airport with the threat of bomb inside Delhi to Dubai flight," a senior police officer said.
Following inspection, officials found no bomb and the threat turned out to be a hoax. The flight was then cleared to proceed to its destination.
RAJASTHAN
Then in Rajasthan, a thorough investigation was conducted by security agencies at Jaipur International Airport after it received a bomb threat email.
The threat email was received by the airport management, following which police and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) searched the premises.
"The airport was thoroughly checked but nothing suspicious has been found so far," the police said.
Rajasthan Minister Jawahar Singh said that the state police is active, adding that "we are committed to stop cybercrime and action is being taken against people involved in cybercrimes...It is our resolve to make Rajasthan crime-free."
BIHAR
Bihar's Patna Airport was the next such facility to receive a bomb threat via email, following which authorities conducted an extensive search and security was also beefed up.
However, officials said that the mail turned out to be a hoax.
Anchal Prakash, Patna Airport Director, said, "A bomb threat through email was received at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport, besides 41 other airports. The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) meeting was convened... and it found the threat to be non-specific."
A senior police official said that the email was received around 1:10 pm. Security has been heightened at the airport in the wake of the development, the officer added.
“We are trying to trace the source of the email and the sender,” he added.
GUJARAT
Later, security had to be tightened at Gujarat's Vadodara Airport after it received a bomb threat email was received by the airport authorities.
Harni Police Station's Inspector, RD Chauhan, said, "Confidential information was received after which teams of Police have been formed to take care of the security arrangements at the Airport."
"Bomb Disposal Squad and Dog Squads, Ambulance, Fire tenders" had also reached the airport for thorough checking, Chauhan added.
Panna Momaya, DCP Vadodara, said, "The entire airport was searched and no bomb was found. All flights are going in their routine timings...The security at the airport has been increased and an FIR has been registered in connection with the e-mail which is being investigated."
TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore International Airport also received a bomb threat via email on Tuesday, following which security was beefed up at the complex.
V Senthil Valavan, Director of the Coimbatore International Airport, said that "all staff are on high alert".
(with agencies' inputs)