Bomb scare delays Shillong-bound IndiGo flight in Kolkata

Kolkata, Feb 14: A Shillong-bound IndiGo flight was delayed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Saturday after a handwritten note claiming a bomb was found inside the aircraft lavatory, prompting a full-scale security response.

Flight 6E-7304, scheduled to depart for Shillong at 9:15 am, was preparing for take-off when a cabin crew member discovered the note that read, “There is a bomb on the plane.”

Passengers who had already boarded were deplaned one by one, and security agencies immediately launched a comprehensive search operation.

A senior airport official confirmed the development, stating that the aircraft was moved to the isolation bay in accordance with standard operating procedures.

“The aircraft has been shifted to the isolation bay, and all precautionary measures as per SOP are being followed,” the official said.

An Airports Authority of India (AAI) spokesperson said a thorough search of the aircraft had so far yielded nothing suspicious.

The CISF bomb squad, along with fire services personnel, conducted an extensive sweep of the aircraft.

The flight missed its scheduled departure and is expected to operate later in the day, subject to security clearance.

Authorities have initiated an investigation to identify who left the note inside the lavatory. It remains unclear who was behind the threat.

The incident comes amid a recent spate of bomb threats reported at airports across the country involving both domestic and international flights.

A total of 833 hoax bomb threats have been reported by airline operators since 2020, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Rajya Sabha last year in March, citing data from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

In 2025, 15 hoax bomb threats have been received by airlines - seven involving IndiGo, four Air India, two Lufthansa, and one each for Malindo and American Airlines, according to the data.

In 2024 alone, airlines reported 728 hoax bomb threats, a sharp rise compared to 71 cases recorded in 2023.

With inputs from agencies