Passenger Detained After False Bomb Threat on Bengaluru Flight

A Canadian national was taken into custody after causing a stir on an IndiGo flight headed to Bengaluru. The incident occurred in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday night when the passenger, identified as Nishant, allegedly told fellow travelers that he had a bomb.

This set off alarm bells, prompting the flight crew to immediately alert air traffic control. The plane was then swiftly moved to a secure isolation bay for a thorough inspection. Thankfully, it turned out to be a hoax.

Airport authorities quickly took action, grounding the flight and conducting a detailed security sweep. Nishant was handed over to the police for questioning. It was revealed that he had made the false claim to disrupt airport operations. Police are now planning to file a formal case against him and will inform the Canadian High Commission.

This incident isn’t an isolated one. Sadly, bomb threats have become a recurring problem in Indian aviation. In 2024 alone, Indian airlines received a staggering 728 hoax bomb threats, leading to 13 arrests. IndiGo saw the highest number of these threats, followed by Air India and former airline Vistara.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is taking these threats seriously and has issued advisories to all aviation stakeholders to strengthen security measures and prevent future disruptions.

Adding to the recent security concerns, Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in Kerala also received a bomb threat via email on Sunday, prompting a thorough search of all terminals.