In another panic situation, Seven Air India Express flights and five Air India flights received bomb threats on the wee hours of Thursday-
Days after multiple bomb threats to flights were received on social media, Central intelligence agencies have traced IP addresses where threats were posted to London and Germany, The Indian Express has learnt.
Four of these flights were still on the ground, while three were airborne at the time when the threats were received.
More than 20 flights of Indian carriers — both domestic and international — have received bomb threats this week. On Monday, three international flights of Indian carriers received bomb threats, and another 10 flights received similar threats on Tuesday. A day after, there were at least six such threats. These threats came via social media platforms, and after security checks, they were declared to be fake.
As the Central intelligence agencies started working on this, they first asked X to share the IP addresses from where all the posts were generated. They also asked to deactivate all the accounts, a source said.
“We have received the preliminary reports and they have informed us that posts were made from three separate handles. Of these three handles, they have traced two IP addresses; two common IPs from London and Deutschland. The users have tweeted after using a virtual private network or VPN – an encrypted connection over the Internet between a device and a remote server that’s aimed at masking one’s online identity. Details of another handle are still awaited,” a source said.
After receiving the replies, the Central intelligence agencies have asked X to share some more specific details and they are waiting for their response, the source said.
“This month so far, the IGI Airport Police responded to seven incidents involving reported bomb threats. After thorough verifications and inspection, all threats were confirmed to be hoaxes. Legal action has been initiated against those responsible for these false alarms to ensure strict measures against misuse and to maintain the safety and security of passengers and airport operations,” said Usha Rangnani, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport).
“An FIR has been registered under sections 217 and 351 (4) of the BNS, as well as section 3 (1) (d) of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, in connection with the recent hoax bomb threat concerning Akasa Air flight. A detailed investigation is currently underway and after coordinating with the concerned social media platform, all accounts responsible for spreading these false threats have been suspended to prevent further misuse and ensure public safety,” added Rangnani.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said they are looking at measures to make regulations more stringent to enable harsher punishments for those behind such threats — including putting them on the no-fly list on flights of Indian carriers.
The Centre is also in touch with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the law ministry as well as studying anti-hoax provisions followed in other countries.
Earlier on Thursday, ten flights, including an Air India plane with 211 people from Delhi to Chicago, received bomb-threat messages through social media handles in the past 48 hours, prompting security agencies to reportedly undertake specific counter-terrorist drills at various airports.
US Raises Concerns
The United States condemned any threats against commercial aviation as unacceptable, after multiple Air India flights, including those bound for Chicago and New York, received bomb threats.
One such flight from New Delhi to Chicago was forced to make an emergency landing at Iqaluit Airport in Canada. Another flight from Mumbai to New York returned to New Delhi, while fighter jets were scrambled for a plane route to Singapore.
Multiple Hoax Bomb Threats
The government is on high alert after a series of bomb threats have affected flight operations across various Indian air carriers in the past three days.
Earlier 12 flights comprising of different airlines have received bomb threats, triggering panic among the aviation ministry, flight officials and passengers.
