Mumbai: Just 40km away from landing, the staff of IndiGo flight 6E 5188, flying from Chennai to Mumbai on Tuesday, found a letter threatening an explosion. In accordance with the security protocols, the pilot promptly conveyed the information to the air traffic control and landed the flight in a safe area. After a search carried out by the bomb detection and disposal squad, the threat turned out to be a hoax as no bomb was discovered on board.
After landing at 8.47am, the aircraft was taken to a remote bay by the airport security authorities. Once the flight was evacuated, a thorough check of all passengers' belongings and the plane's interior was conducted, revealing no suspicious items. According to the police, the crew discovered a letter in the lavatory stating 'chhodunga nahi' (won't spare anyone). The cops didn't disclose the entire contents of the letter.
Airline issues statement
Issuing an official statement, the airlines confirmed the hoax bomb threat. “Post completion of all security checks, the aircraft will be positioned back to the terminal area,” read the statement.
Last month, IndiGo filed a case against a 27-year-old person at the airport police station for spreading rumours about the presence of a bomb on board. The Central Industrial Security Force had handed over the accused to the airport police, leading to his arrest. The rumour-monger was arrested and subsequently released on bail.
