Forty-one airports across India received bomb threat emails on Tuesday, prompting extensive anti-sabotage checks by security agencies. All threats were ultimately declared hoaxes, news agency PTI reported citing official sources.
The emails, sent from the address exhumedyou888@gmail.com, were received at around 12:40 PM. Each airport implemented contingency measures, and conducted thorough anti-sabotage checks, and swept terminals following recommendations from their respective from their respective Bomb Threat Assessment Committees.
An online group called "KNR" was suspected to be behind these hoax emails. This group had previously issued similar threats to several schools in the Delhi-NCR region on May 1, the PTI report said.
The threat emails contained a similar message: "Hello, there are explosives hidden in the Airports. The bombs will soon explode. You will all die".
Bomb Threat Reported At Nagpur Airport
Authorities at Nagpur airport in Maharashtra received a bomb threat email and conducted a thorough security check, but found nothing suspicious, PTI reported. Security was subsequently increased. A senior airport official told PTI that the Airports Authority of India received the threat email and communicated it to the Nagpur airport authorities around 2 PM.
The email claimed a bomb had been planted at the airport.
"Airports in other parts of the country received similar threats during the day. Following the threat, the Nagpur airport was thoroughly checked, but nothing suspicious was found. Extra police force has been deployed for the next 24 hours," an official familiar with the matter told PTI.
Patna Airport Faces Similar Situation
Patna Airport also received a bomb threat email today. Authorities conducted a comprehensive search and enhanced security measures. The threat was deemed a hoax after a Bomb Threat Assessment Committee meeting found it to be non-specific.
"A bomb threat through email was received at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Airport, besides 41 other airports. The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) Meeting was convened… and it found the threat to be non-specific," Airport Director Anchal Prakash was quoted as saying by PTI.
Jaipur Airport Receives Bomb Threat
Jaipur Airpot also received a bomb threat email, leading to a joint investigation by security agencies. Police and CISF personnel searched the premises thoroughly but found nothing suspicious.
Overall, the coordinated response by the security agencies across these airports ensured that operations continued smoothly, as reported by PTI.