Bomb threat on Kolkata–Hyderabad flight turns out to be hoax

Hyderabad: An Air India Express flight from Kolkata to Hyderabad received a bomb threat on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, triggering panic among passengers and prompting a full-scale emergency response.

According to initial reports, an anonymous message was found written in the aircraft’s restroom, warning of a bomb on board. The pilot immediately alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC), and the flight landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad.

Following the alert, airport authorities, along with bomb disposal teams and security personnel, conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft. After four hours of checks, no explosive device was found. Officials later confirmed the threat was a hoax.

This incident comes amid heightened security concerns due to ongoing tensions along the India-Pakistan border.

Just days earlier, on May 9, an email threatening an imminent attack was sent to the official account of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The message, allegedly from an unidentified individual claiming links to a terror sleeper cell, criticized the state government’s handling of security and caused widespread alarm among airport staff and passengers.

In response, airport authorities coordinated with the Central Industrial Security Force, local police, and bomb squads to conduct a comprehensive sweep of the premises. No explosives were found, and the email was also deemed a hoax. Police at RGIA have launched investigations into threats.