New Delhi: Amid a series of bomb hoaxes affecting flights in Indias aviation space, at least 85 flights operated by IndiGo, Air India, Vistara, and Akasa Air received similar threats on Thursday, media reports said.
This brings the total number of impacted flights to over 250 in the past 10 days.
According to an India Today report, officials confirmed that the bomb threats affected 25 Akasa Air flights and 20 each from Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara.
Most of the threats, originating from social media platforms, have been hoaxes, causing significant inconvenience to passengers and posing a security challenge for paramilitary forces and aviation authorities.
As a measure, the government is considering placing individuals involved in making hoax bomb threat calls on a no-fly list.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that hoax bomb threats to airlines will be classified as a cognizable offense.
The impacted flights, operated by the aforementioned airlines, were travelling from Delhi and other parts of India to domestic and international destinations.
The Delhi Police have filed eight cases related to bomb threats, with messages received through anonymous posts on X (formerly Twitter), which have since been suspended. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) met with airline CEOs and representatives on October 19 to address the issue.
Earlier on Wednesday, the central government criticized X for its handling of the situation, accusing the platform of abetting crime.
In an exclusive interview with India Today TVs Rajdeep Sardesai, Civil Aviation Minister Naidu said that all necessary protocols were being followed, and the situation was under control.
When asked if the threats were part of a larger conspiracy, Naidu advised caution, stating, I wouldnt make any hasty decision on this. Let us wait for the thorough investigation to happen.
Naidu also highlighted the role of social media and cyber channels in the threats, noting that many of the IP addresses traced to foreign locations could have been rerouted through VPNs, complicating the investigation.
He reassured the public, saying, We are putting in all the efforts that are required so that our skies are safe.
