Following the high-profile murder of NCP (Ajit Pawar) leader Bana Siddique in Mumbai, bomb threats were issued targeting three flights and one train originating from the city, triggering a massive security response.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation of Security (BCAS) convened a high-level meeting to address the threats and coordinate security measures.
Among the affected flights was an Air India Mumbai-New York service, which was diverted to New Delhi early Monday morning due to a bomb threat. The plane made an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, where it was thoroughly searched, but no explosives were found. The flight, AI-119, carrying 239 passengers, is set to depart for New York tomorrow morning.
In addition, two IndiGo flights faced similar threats. Flight 6E 1275 from Mumbai to Muscat was grounded and moved to an isolated bay for security checks. Shortly afterward, IndiGo’s Mumbai-Jeddah service (6E 56) received a bomb threat and was similarly diverted to an isolated bay for inspection.
Along with the air threats, a superfast train, the Mumbai-Howrah Mail (train no 12809), also received a bomb threat. The train was halted at Jalgaon station around 4 am, where it was thoroughly searched. No suspicious items were discovered, and the train resumed its journey.
Gaurav Gogoi, Deputy Leader of the Congress in LS, highlighted the need for better intelligence gathering.