Over 250 Flights Targeted by Hoax Bomb Threats: Centre Calls for Data from Social Media

New Delhi: The government has reached out to social media platforms Meta and X to request data related to hoax bomb threats targeting airlines. This comes as over 250 flights received these threats in the past 11 days, with more than 80 incidents reported on Thursday alone.

Government sources revealed that they are working to identify those responsible for these false threats, emphasizing the importance of public safety. The majority of the threats originated from social media.

According to officials, some suspects have been traced, and appropriate actions are being taken. However, specifics about the origins of the hoax messages or the identities of the culprits have not been disclosed.

The government has explicitly instructed Meta and X to assist in this matter, highlighting that cooperation is essential for the greater public good. Sources confirmed that various Indian airlines have been affected, with more than 80 flights receiving bomb threats on Thursday.

Among the impacted airlines, around 20 flights each from Air India, Vistara, and IndiGo were targeted, while Akasa Air faced threats for 13 flights. Additionally, five flights each from Alliance Air and SpiceJet also received threats.

An IndiGo spokesperson stated that security alerts were issued for 20 of its flights. Akasa Air also reported receiving alerts for 13 of its flights, all of which were cleared for operations after thorough inspections.

Vistara acknowledged that several of its flights were affected by social media threats. Notably, six flights to and from Kochi airport, including one SpiceJet flight from Dubai, were among those targeted on Thursday.

In a separate incident, an unidentified caller threatened to blow up Dumna airport in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, on Wednesday, but this was later determined to be a hoax, according to local police.

Earlier this week, Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu announced plans for legislative measures to address bomb threats against airlines, including potentially placing offenders on a no-fly list.

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