Hyderabad airport hit by multiple bomb threats, disrupting air traffic

Hyderabad: In a concerning trend, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad has been plagued by a series of bomb threats over the past week, resulting in significant disruptions to air travel.

Authorities have registered five separate First Information Reports (FIRs) related to these threats.

In just the last week, police have been inundated with reports of potential threats, with another incident occurring last Friday.

Threats to Hyderabad Airport issued from anonymous accounts

According to K. Srinivas Rao, the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Shamshabad, these threats have primarily been issued through anonymous accounts on social media platforms, complicating the investigation.

Despite the involvement of multiple law enforcement agencies working tirelessly to trace the sources of these threats, no substantial leads have emerged yet.

The bomb threats are not limited to Hyderabad Airport, as similar incidents were reported across India.

Centre slams X for ‘abetting crime’ after 100 flight bomb threats

Recently, the IT Ministry slammed Elon Musk-run social media platform X after more than 100 bomb threats were received by airlines over the past few days and many of these hoaxes were circulated via social media platforms.

In a virtual meeting with representatives of airlines and social media platforms such as X and Meta, the IT Ministry officials said the situation amounts to “X abetting crime” and questioned its representatives on the steps taken to stop such alarming rumours from spreading.

The online threats created panic among the passengers and set off alarm bells for security agencies. Several flights, including internationals, were diverted after the hoax calls.