50 flights get bomb threats on Sunday; Aviation Minister reiterates plan to amend laws

New Delhi: At least 50 aircraft run by Indian airlines got bomb threats and two of them were diverted on Sunday, according to sources. In 14 days, more than 350 flights operated by the Indian carriers had received false bomb threats.

Most of the threats were issued through social media.

Akasa Air on Sunday said 15 of its flights got security alerts and after thorough inspections, all aircraft were released for operations.

The sources in the know said IndiGo received threats for 18 flights and Vistara for 17 flights.

At least two IndiGo flights were diverted following threats.

Its flight 6E 133 (Pune to Jodhpur) was diverted to Ahmedabad and 6E 87 (Kozhikode to Dammam) was diverted to Mumbai, an official said.

According to an IndiGo statement, the flights that received security-related alerts include 6E 11 (Delhi-Istanbul), 6E 92 (Jeddah-Mumbai), 6E 112 (Goa-Ahmedabad), 6E 125 (Bengaluru-Jharsuguda), 6E 127 (Amritsar-Ahmedabad) and 6E 135 (Kolkata-Pune).

Among others are 6E 149 (Hyderabad to Bagdogra), 6E 173 (Delhi to Bengaluru), 6E 175 (Bengaluru to Delhi), 6E 197 (Raipur to Hyderabad), 6E 248 (Mumbai to Kolkata), 6E 277 (Ahmedabad-Lucknow), 6E 312 (Bengaluru to Kolkata), 6E 235 (Kolkata-Bengaluru) and 6E 74 (Riyadh-Mumbai).

Meanwhile, Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Sunday reiterated that the Centre is mulling to take steps to ban perpetrators who resort to hoax bomb threats from flying.

Speaking to mediapersons after formally inaugurating two flights Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada, the minister also said besides taking support from international agencies, law enforcement wings and the Intelligence Bureau to prevent these fake threats, the union government is also mulling to amend two Civil Aviation Laws.

"We are also taking the support of international agencies, law enforcement agencies, the Intelligence Bureau to prevent these. We are planning to bring changes to two civil aviation laws. Those who resort to these kinds of activities will be punished severely and imposed a penalty. We are also taking steps to ban such persons from flying. We will announce them in the coming days," he said.

Naidu further said an investigation into these fake threats is going on seriously and also the cooperation of social media platform 'X' is being sought.

With PTI inputs