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A bomb threat aimed at Air India's Delhi-Indore-Mumbai flight, ultimately proved to be a hoax, according to police in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. The message, suggesting that a bomb was placed onboard Air India flight AI 636, was posted on a social media platform, prompting immediate investigation. Officials later confirmed the threat to be false, though authorities have registered a case and continue to investigate the source of the alarming message.
According to the Aerodrome police, the message was posted on X (formerly Twitter) at 5:08 pm on Tuesday. The threatening post claimed a pipe bomb was placed on the flight, quoting a complaint filed by an Air India official. By that time, however, the flight had already departed from Indore at 4:38 pm and was en route to Mumbai. Police and airline authorities responded promptly to ensure that passengers and operations were safeguarded.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinod Kumar Meena stated to PTI, "The threat of a pipe bomb on Air India flight AI 636 was found to be baseless following our investigation." The police have registered a case against the unidentified individual under Section 351(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to criminal intimidation through anonymous identity. Further investigation efforts are underway to identify the individual responsible for posting the fake threat.
This incident highlights an ongoing issue, as numerous Indian airlines have recently experienced a surge in similar threats. PTI sources disclosed that more than 100 flights received bomb threats on Tuesday alone, all of which were later found to be false. Over the past 16 days, approximately 510 flights, both domestic and international, have been targeted by these hoaxes, primarily shared on social media.
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Despite the disruptive nature of these threats, authorities have reassured the public of heightened security measures across Indian airports and airlines. While these false alarms continue to strain resources, officials are working to prevent future instances and to deter hoax threats through legal action and strict monitoring of online platforms.
The police are also collaborating with cybersecurity experts to track down the origins of these messages, aiming to address the spread of false information more effectively.
(With inputs from PTI)
