Amid Bomb Threats, Ammunition Cartridge Found on Dubai-Delhi Air India Flight

New Delhi: Amid the bomb threats on flights, an ammunition cartridge was recovered from an Air India flight that arrived in Delhi from Dubai on October 27, prompting a swift response from authorities. The airline confirmed the incident, stating the cartridge was discovered in a seat pocket after all passengers had safely deboarded from the Flight. 

"One ammunition cartridge was found in the pocket of a seat of our flight AI916 after it had landed from Dubai at Delhi on 27 October 2024 and all passengers had safely disembarked," an Air India spokesperson said.

"A complaint was immediately lodged with the Airport Police by Air India strictly adhering to the laid down security protocols," the spokesperson added. 

Wave of Hoax Bomb Threats Disrupt Flights and Airports Across India

India is dealing with a surge in hoax bomb threats targeting flights and airports, causing major disruptions and concerns for airlines and passengers. On October 30, a false bomb threat circulated on social media claimed there was a bomb on an Air India flight from Delhi to Mumbai via Indore. In response, Indore police filed a case against an unidentified person linked to the fake threat.

More than 510 Flights Received Bomb Threats

In the past three weeks, over 510 domestic and international flights in India received similar bomb threats, all of which turned out to be hoaxes. These threats have placed a significant operational and financial burden on airlines, which have had to increase security and inspections. Most of the threats were made through social media platforms.

Among the targeted airlines, major carriers like Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara were hit hardest. On Tuesday alone, Air India received bomb threats for around 36 flights, IndiGo for 35, and Vistara for 32.

Mumbai police have also registered a case against an unknown individual after these three airlines received bomb threats on their official social media accounts on Monday. All threats were later found to be false after thorough checks, police confirmed. The surge in threats has prompted heightened security across India's airports and airlines as authorities work to identify those responsible.

In response to these threats, the government held an emergency meeting in the third week of October. Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu assured that law enforcement agencies are actively investigating each case and that the government is keeping a close watch on the situation.

Naidu led the meeting, which included officials from key security and aviation bodies—the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), along with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The focus of the meeting was to strengthen security and prevent future threats from affecting flights across the country.