Bomb scare on Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight at Kolkata airport; 26-year-old passenger detained
A Kolkata airport plane was moved to isolation for a security check after a passenger claimed to have a bomb. The 26-year-old was detained as security measures were heightened. The flight to Mumbai was delayed with 179 out of 186 passengers already boarded.
An IndiGo flight bound for Mumbai was diverted to the isolation bay at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport on Tuesday afternoon following a bomb scare involving a passenger, officials confirmed. The incident caused a delay in the flight’s departure as security personnel conducted thorough checks to ensure passenger safety.
The scare unfolded when a passenger, travelling from Imphal to Mumbai with a stopover in Kolkata, uttered the word ‘bomb’ to an IndiGo security officer during a secondary-level security procedure known as the step ladder point check.
This check involves airline staff frisking passengers and inspecting hand luggage just before boarding. The passenger reportedly asked, “Do I have a bomb?” prompting immediate concern among security forces.
“The passenger’s claim was declared specific, security was beefed up, and standard operating procedure (SOP) implemented,” said the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the airport. The 26-year-old individual was promptly detained and handed over to the police for further investigation.
The passenger had arrived in Kolkata on an IndiGo flight from Imphal and was scheduled to board another IndiGo flight to Mumbai.
Out of the 186 passengers booked on the Kolkata to Mumbai leg, 179 had already boarded the IndiGo plane when the incident occurred.
The Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight, originally scheduled to depart at 1.30 pm, was delayed as the aircraft was vacated and moved to the isolation bay for comprehensive security checks.
IndiGo Issues Statement
IndiGo issued a statement confirming the bomb threat and the subsequent security measures: “IndiGo flight 6E 5227 operating from Kolkata to Mumbai received a bomb threat prior to departure. In accordance with security protocols, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay at Kolkata airport. All necessary checks were conducted, and the standard operating procedures were followed.”
Security has been strengthened at all airports in the country following the India-Pakistan military conflict.
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