Bomb scare delays Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight at Kolkata airport, passenger detained

NEW DELHI: A plane at Kolkata airport was taken to the isolation bay on Tuesday afternoon for a complete security check after a passenger was suspected of carrying bomb, according to officials.

The 26-year-old man, who was flying from Imphal to Mumbai with a stopover in Kolkata, made the comment during a security check just before boarding. This check is a routine part of airline security where staff inspect passengers and their hand luggage one more time.

After he made the claim, security was increased immediately and proper safety procedures were followed, said an official from the Airports Authority of India (AAI).

The passenger was quickly detained by security staff.

The man had arrived in Kolkata on an IndiGo flight and was supposed to take another IndiGo flight to Mumbai. Out of the 186 passengers on the Mumbai flight, 179 had already boarded when the incident happened.

The flight, which was scheduled to leave at 1:30pm, was delayed. All passengers were taken off the plane, and the aircraft was moved to a safe area for a full security check.

IndiGo released a statement saying: "Flight 6E 5227 from Kolkata to Mumbai received a bomb threat before departure. Following safety protocols, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay and checked thoroughly."

Security at airports across India has been tightened due to the recent military conflict between India and Pakistan.