Casual remark on ‘bomb’ at Kochi airport lands passenger in soup

Kochi: A casual reference to a ‘bomb’ made during a routine security check at the international airport here led to the arrest of a Mumbai-bound passenger.

The Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) on Sunday said Manoj Kumar (42), who was scheduled to fly from Cochin to Mumbai by an Air India flight on Sunday morning made an “alarming” comment to a CISF officer at the x-ray baggage inspection counter.

“During the pre-embarkation security check, Mr. Kumar asked the CISF officer, “Is there any bomb in my bag?” This statement triggered immediate concern and prompted the airport security team to take swift action,” CIAL said in a statement.

The airport authority said the passenger’s cabin and checked baggage were thoroughly inspected by the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS).

After completing the necessary checks, which revealed no threat, Kumar was handed over to the local

police for further investigation, CIAL said.

The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC), which was convened to assess the situation, classified the threat as “non-specific,” meaning it was not credible but still required a full security response.