Civil Aviation Ministry Calls High-Level Meeting After Series Of Bomb Threats Target Indian Airlines

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has called a high-level meeting for Wednesday after a series of bomb threats were received by several Indian airlines on Monday and Tuesday.

According to CISF sources, more than ten bomb threats were reported on social media platform X within the past 24 hours.

A senior police officer told news agency ANI, “We have identified and suspended several accounts that were posting threats on social media regarding bombs in airplanes. It has been informed some threats were originated from London and from other countries.”

An airport security officer said, “In the last 24 hours, we have received several bomb threats in many sectors. We are taking up all the calls and also informed concerned police officers regarding the threat to identify the person behind it.”

Another senior security officer emphasised that such threats cannot be ignored, as they concern passenger safety. He said, “After we receive a threat, we inform airlines and the concerned security officer at the airport for further procedure.”

Series of bomb threats via X

Seven flights, including one heading to the United States, received bomb-threat messages via a social media platform X on Tuesday, prompting security agencies to conduct specific counter-terrorism drills at various airports.

These threats, made on the microblogging site X, followed a similar incident on Monday when three international flights departing from Mumbai received bomb threats, causing disruption for hundreds of passengers and crew members. A New York-bound Air India flight was diverted to New Delhi and rescheduled, while two IndiGo flights faced delays of several hours.

All messages received on Monday were later declared hoaxes after security and intelligence agencies, along with airline and airport operators, carried out the necessary anti-terrorism security drills activated in response to bomb or hijack threats, according to sources.

Officials said that the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has enlisted the help of Indian cybersecurity agencies and police to trace the individual or individuals responsible for these threats.

(With inputs from agencies)