Patna: A bomb threat targeting a Delhi–Patna flight operated by SpiceJet sparked alarm on Wednesday, triggering heightened security measures at Patna airport before being declared a hoax after exhaustive checks.
The threat arrived via an email to the airline’s Delhi office, warning that a bomb had been placed on a flight from Delhi to Patna but failing to specify the aircraft. The airline immediately alerted airport authorities in Patna, who escalated the matter to the Airports Authority of India and security agencies.
In response, teams from the Central Industrial Security Force, the bomb disposal squad and other agencies carried out a thorough sweep of suspected aircraft and airport premises, following standard security protocols. No suspicious objects or explosives were found, and normal operations were restored after the all-clear.
A first information report has been registered at the Patna Airport police station against an unknown person on the basis of a written complaint filed by a SpiceJet employee. The email, police said, was sent from an address ending in “@gmail.com”.
Investigators from the police and cyber cell are tracing the IP address and have sought technical details from Google. While initial assessments suggest the possibility of a prank, officials said all angles are being examined given the sensitivity of aviation security.
