Bomb threat puts Kolkata airport on high alert; one passenger detained

Kolkata: Amid the Indo-Pak tension, the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata was put on high alert on Tuesday afternoon after a passenger claimed there was a bomb on the plane during a security check before boarding.

Kolkata airport authorities said that the passengers who had boarded the Kolkata-Mumbai IndiGo flight No 6E5227 were deboarded and taken to safety. It was learnt that the call came after the passengers had checked in. The flight was scheduled to take off at 1.30 pm and land in Mumbai at 4.20 pm.

“All 195 passengers were asked to deplane following emergency protocol and the aircraft was taken to the isolation bay,” an airport official confirmed. The aircraft, carrying 194-197 passengers, was moved to an isolation bay for thorough security checks and all passengers were safely evacuated. No suspicious items were found and the threat was later deemed a hoax, allowing the flight to depart over two hours late.

The 26-year-old passenger was detained in connection with the incident, though the motive remains unclear. The man had arrived in Kolkata on an IndiGo flight and was to take another IndiGo flight to Mumbai. This incident marks the second bomb scare at an Indian airport since the launch of Operation Sindoor, a military operation targeting Pakistan-based terror groups.

Heightened security measures were implemented at the airport, including anti-sabotage checks by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and 100% ladder-point inspections by the airline.

The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) convened to evaluate the threat, following standard operating procedures (SOPs). The event disrupted operations, causing delays and passenger inconvenience, but no flights were cancelled. Police are investigating the source of the threat, with efforts to trace its origin.

IndiGo released a statement saying: “Flight 6E 5227 from Kolkata to Mumbai received a bomb threat before departure. Following safety protocols, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay and checked thoroughly.” This incident follows a series of hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airports and flights in recent months, raising concerns about aviation security amidst regional tensions.