Are Social Media Platforms Fueling Fake Bomb Threats Disrupting Flights? Delhi Police Seeks Answers

Delhi Police have intensified their investigation into fake bomb threats that have disrupted numerous flights, as reported by Hindustan Times. This week alone, several domestic and international flights were affected. The police have reached out to social media platforms like X, formerly Twitter, requesting information about the accounts posting these threats, which have caused chaos at airports, particularly the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

The situation escalated when an Akasa Air flight to Bengaluru, carrying 180 passengers, received a bomb threat. The police registered an FIR and expanded the investigation to cover other similar cases. A dedicated team, including the cyber cell and the Intelligence Fusion & Strategic Operations (IFSO), has been formed to handle the probe. Authorities believe that the perpetrator used Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) or dark web browsers to set up multiple accounts, making it difficult to trace the origin of the threats.

Photo Credit: PTI

Officials have requested social media platforms to suspend the accounts responsible and remove the threatening messages. Additionally, police are seeking IP addresses to identify the person behind these hoax threats. "We have written to the social media platform to obtain the IP addresses," an officer told PTI.

Over 70 flights have been impacted by bomb threats in recent days, but most were found to be hoaxes. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) held a meeting with airline executives to address this rising issue. Security measures have been increased, and airports are on high alert, with flights affected by airlines like Air India, Vistara, IndiGo, Akasa Air, and others. Planes were moved to isolation bays as part of the security protocol, causing significant delays and inconvenience for passengers and staff.

In response, the Civil Aviation Ministry is planning to introduce strict measures to prevent such hoaxes, including placing individuals responsible for fake threats on no-fly lists.