The Indian aviation sector was rocked by the revelation that airlines and airports in the country received a staggering 999 hoax bomb threats from January to November 14 of this year. This figure, which is nearly ten times higher than the 122 threats reported in the entirety of 2023, was disclosed by Murlidhar Mohol, the country's deputy civil aviation minister, during a parliamentary session. The threats, predominantly made via social media platforms, have caused significant disruptions in flight operations, leading to delays, diversions, and heightened security measures across various airports in India. The majority of these hoaxes were concentrated in the last two weeks of October, with over 500 threats recorded, surpassing the cumulative count for the rest of the year.
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These incidents have not only affected domestic flights but also international services, with airlines like Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air reporting multiple threats. Each threat triggers a full security response, including the deployment of bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, and evacuation procedures, resulting in substantial operational costs and inconvenience to passengers.
The Indian government, through its aviation regulatory bodies like the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been working to mitigate the impact of these hoaxes. The authorities have registered 256 police complaints and arrested 12 individuals in connection with these threats, indicating a firm stance against such disruptive behavior. The minister emphasized that all these threats were found to be hoaxes, with no actual threat detected at any airport or aircraft.
However, the sheer volume of these incidents has prompted discussions on enhancing security protocols and potentially legislating stricter penalties for hoax threats. There's a particular focus on addressing the misuse of social media for such activities, as many threats originate from anonymous or difficult-to-trace sources. This situation underscores the vulnerabilities in airport security to misinformation and the need for a robust response mechanism that balances security with operational efficiency. The Indian aviation sector is now looking at both immediate responses to secure flights and long-term strategies to deter such threats, ensuring passenger safety while maintaining the integrity of air travel operations.