Hoax bomb threat on Chennai–Hyderabad flight causes panic

An elderly man who arrived late for his flight and was not allowed to board, sent the security apparatus at RGI Airport into a tizzy with a hoax bomb call

Hyderabad: An elderly man who arrived late for his flight and was not allowed to board, sent the security apparatus at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport into a tizzy with a hoax bomb call, here on Monday.

The passenger identified as Ajmeer Bhadraiah (59), a resident of Kapra, called the police control room and informed that a bomb was kept in a flight bound for Chennai from RGI Airport. He also specified that the plane needed to be stopped immediately.

Reacting swiftly, the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) assembled and inquired into the call. However, after a thorough check the call was declared a hoax.

RGI Airport Inspector, R Srinivas said the man had come late to the airport and the airlines employee denied his boarding. “He argued with the staff and threatened to stop the flight. He then called the police control room (Dial 100) and informed that there is a bomb in flight 6E-6151. The message was flashed to the local police station and an alert was sounded at the airport,” he said.

The fake bomb threat call caused inconvenience to many passengers. The Indigo Airline has reported the said incident to RGI Airport police and action initiated against the passenger as per law.