On May 28, an IndiGo flight with the number 6E2211 encountered a bomb threat at Delhi airport during its journey from Delhi to Varanasi. As a result, the authorities swiftly relocated the aircraft to an isolation bay to conduct a comprehensive investigation. At present, the anti-sabotage checks are underway, and thus far, no suspicious items have been discovered. The increasing frequency of bomb threats has become a cause for concern, as it not only disrupts daily life but also instills fear and uncertainty among the general public. Even in the month of May alone, there has been a surge in bomb threats reported across various locations such as airports, schools, and hotels.
Here’s a look at the bomb threat received in India in May 2024:
- Taj Hotel, Airport, Mumbai: Mumbai’s Taj Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were the subjects of a threatening call received by the Mumbai Police on May 27. Following an extensive search, authorities confirmed that no suspicious items were discovered at either location. The police have determined that the call originated from Uttar Pradesh and are currently conducting an investigation to locate the caller.
- Chennai airport bomb threat, Chennai: Chennai airport bomb scare, Chennai: According to The Hindu, the director of Chennai airport was alerted on May 26 about two emails that mentioned the presence of explosive devices in close proximity to the airport. The emails also advised the immediate evacuation of passengers from aircraft. The report, citing reliable sources, stated that the police were promptly informed about the situation. After conducting a comprehensive investigation, it was determined that the emails were false alarms.
- Delhi University colleges bomb threat, Delhi: On May 23, two colleges under the umbrella of Delhi University (DU) were targeted with bomb threats through phone calls. Lady Shri Ram (LSR) College and Sri Venkateswara College were the institutions affected, as reported by the Delhi Fire Service (DFS). Following investigations, the Delhi Police verified that the threats were indeed false alarms.
- Dadar McDonald’s threat, Mumbai: The Mumbai Police control room in Dadar received a distressing call on May 19, where an unidentified individual threatened to carry out a bomb blast at the McDonald’s restaurant in Dadar, Mumbai. The caller allegedly overheard a conversation between two people discussing their intentions to “blow up McDonald’s” while they were traveling on a bus. Prompt and thorough investigation by the police, however, revealed no signs of any suspicious objects or activities at the location.
- Ministry of Home Affairs bomb threat, Delhi: On May 22, a bomb threat was reported at the office of the Union Home Ministry in Delhi’s North Block. According to PTI, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) was alerted after an officer at the North Block received the threatening email. The threat was later determined to be a hoax as no suspicious items were discovered.
- Bengaluru Hotel bomb threat: Bengaluru Hotel bomb threat: On May 23, three hotels in Bengaluru, including The Ottera, received an email threatening a bomb attack.
- Delhi-Vadodara Air India bomb threat: A bomb threat incident occurred on May 15 aboard an Air India flight from Delhi to Vadodara. Panic ensued when a crew member discovered a tissue paper in the aircraft’s washroom with the word “bomb” written on it. Despite a thorough search, no suspicious items were found. As a precautionary measure, the passengers were subsequently transported to Vadodara on a special flight the following morning.
- Seven schools in Kanpur bomb threat: Seven educational establishments, including two government-operated schools, were recipients of hoax bomb threat emails. The schools affected are Gulmohar Vihar Public School in Hanumant Vihar, KDMA School in Gujaini, Sanatan Dharm Education Centre in Kaushalpuri, Chintal’s School in Singhpur Kachar, Virendra Swaroop School in Civil Lines, Kendriya Vidyalaya Cantt, and Kendriya Vidyalaya in Armapore Estate.
- Delhi hospitals, Tihar jail bomb threat: On May 14, a series of bomb threats were sent via email to seven hospitals in Delhi and Tihar Jail. The police have determined that the emails originated from ‘beeble.com’, a European-based mailing service company. The threatening emails were received in a specific sequence, starting with Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital in Ashok Vihar, north Delhi, at 9:45 am. Subsequently, Dada Dev Hospital in Dabri, southwest Delhi, received the threat at 10:55 am, followed by Hedgewar Hospital in Farsh Bazar, east Delhi, at 11:01 am. Lastly, GTB Hospital in Shahdara, east Delhi, received the email at 11:12 am. Other hospitals, including Attar Sain Jain Hospital in Keshavpuram, Chacha Nehru Hospital in Geeta Colony, and DDU Hospital in Hari Nagar, also reported receiving the bomb threat.
- 50 Jaipur schools receive bomb threat: On the 13th of May, bomb threat emails were sent to over 50 schools. It is worth mentioning that schools in Jaipur received these threats on the 16th anniversary of the city’s serial bomb blast incident. Back in 2008, Jaipur was rocked by a series of explosions that led to 71 deaths and 180 injuries..
- Six Bengaluru Hospitals bomb threat: Six Bengaluru Hospitals bomb threat: On May 13, Six private hospitals in Bengaluru had received a bomb threat via email which had turned out to be a hoax.
- 20 Delhi hospitals, IGI Airport, Northern Railways bomb threat: On the 12th of May, twenty hospitals in Delhi, along with the IGI Airport and the Northern Railways’ CPRO office, were targeted with bomb threats via emails. According to an official speaking to PTI, these threats on Sunday originated from the Europe-based mailing service company ‘beeble.com.’ The threats were directed towards various locations including Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal-3, Burari Hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, Janakpuri Super Speciality Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Dabri’s Dada Dev Hospital, Aruna Asaf Ali Government Hospital in Civil Lines, Guru Nanak Dev Eye Hospital, Gramin Swastha Prashikshan Sansthan in Najafgarh, ILBS in Vasant Kunj, and the CPRO building situated at State Entry Road in Connaught Place.
- 36 Ahmedabad schools bomb threat: At least 36 schools in Ahmedabad were targeted with threatening emails regarding blasts on May 7. According to the police update on May 10, the source of these emails was identified to be in Pakistan. The Ahmedabad crime branch, in a press statement, revealed that the emails were dispatched from the ‘mail.ru’ domain by an individual posing as Tauheed Liaquat. This was done with the intention of instilling fear among voters and Indian citizens. Joint Commissioner of Police Sharad Singhal mentioned to PTI, “The name might have been fabricated to propagate fear and misinformation. However, it is confirmed that the emails were indeed sent through the mail.ru domain, with the origin traced back to the Faisalabad cantonment area in Pakistan.”
- Mangaluru International Airport bomb threat: Security measures were increased at Mangaluru International Airport (MIA) following the reception of an email regarding a potential bomb threat, as reported by airport officials.
- 150 Delhi schools bomb threat: A significant number of schools in Delhi-NCR were subjected to a bomb threat, as more than 150 educational establishments received the same email alerting them to the presence of explosives on their premises. This resulted in extensive evacuations and searches, prompting anxious parents to quickly retrieve their children. Among the schools that received the threatening emails were Delhi Public School (Mathura Road), DPS (Saket), Sanskriti School, Amity School (Saket), DAV (Model Town), DPS (Dwarka), and St. Mary School (Mayur Vihar).