On the morning of June 17th, a Dubai-bound flight scheduled to depart from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi received a bomb threat via email. The threat, reported at 9:35 am to the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) office, triggered immediate action by security forces. The Delhi Police responded swiftly, implementing standard security protocols to ensure the safety of passengers and staff. A thorough investigation, including comprehensive checks of the aircraft, revealed no suspicious items. Ultimately, the threat was declared a hoax.
This incident adds to a troubling trend of hoax bomb threats targeting various institutions in Delhi. Just last week, several museums in the capital, including the Railway Museum, received similar threats via email, all of which proved to be false alarms. The police were mobilized to these locations, only to find no bombs. This wave of hoax threats has also impacted schools, colleges, hospitals, and airports in Delhi. In May, two colleges under Delhi University and over 100 schools in the Delhi-NCR region were targeted with false bomb threats. Earlier in April, the Delhi High Court sought a detailed status report from the Delhi government regarding these frequent hoax threats in private schools.
To address these threats, the Delhi Police have strengthened their response measures. As of May 17th, the police reported to the Delhi High Court that they have deployed five bomb disposal squads (BDS) and 18 bomb detection teams (BDTs) across the city. These teams are strategically placed in each district, as well as at critical infrastructure points like IGI Airport, railway stations, and metro services. Despite these efforts, the repeated hoax threats continue to cause panic and disrupt daily activities, straining law enforcement resources. The authorities are actively investigating the sources of these emails and working diligently to prevent future incidents.
