The ongoing issue of hoax bomb threats escalated on Tuesday, affecting more than 100 flights following new alerts. Sources from news agency PTI reported that various Indian airlines received bomb threats for over 100 flights throughout the day.
In the last 16 days, over 510 domestic and international flights have faced similar threats, all of which were later confirmed as false alarms. Many of these threats were communicated via social media platforms.
According to sources, Air India reported around 36 threat notifications, while IndiGo and Vistara received approximately 35 and 32 threats, respectively, on Tuesday. An Air India spokesperson stated, “Several flights faced security threats reported on social media on October 29, 2024. We immediately alerted the relevant authorities and adhered strictly to security protocols as per regulatory guidance.”
In a related development, Mumbai police have initiated legal action against an unidentified individual following bomb threats received by three airlines on their X handle on Monday. Officials confirmed that the threats to IndiGo, Air India, and Vistara were determined to be false. This month, the police have filed 14 FIRs concerning bomb threats to airlines.
The IT Ministry has directed social media platforms X and Meta to comply with their responsibilities by promptly removing or blocking access to misinformation within specified timeframes as outlined in IT rules.
In response to the ongoing threats, the civil aviation ministry is exploring legislative measures to combat false bomb threats to airlines. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu announced on Sunday that the government is considering options, including placing individuals who make false threats on a no-fly list to prevent them from traveling by air.
