Bengaluru: Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) near Devanahalli has received a second bomb threat via email within the span of a week, sparking fresh concerns over aviation security. Authorities have confirmed that both threats were hoaxes, but investigations are underway to trace the origin and motive behind the alarming messages.
The latest threat was received on June 16, just days after a similar email on June 13. In both cases, the sender claimed that a bomb had been planted in the airport’s toilet pipeline, prompting an immediate security response. However, thorough inspections by bomb detection squads and security forces revealed no explosives at the site.
What has raised further concern is the content of the emails. According to airport sources, the anonymous sender questioned the execution of terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged in 2012 for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The emails suggested that the bombing threats were in retaliation for Kasab’s hanging, citing it as “unjust.”
Security at the airport has since been intensified, and a formal case has been registered by the authorities. Cybercrime units and intelligence agencies are working together to trace the IP address and source of the emails.
Officials have assured the public that there was no real threat and all operations at KIA are functioning normally. However, they are treating the matter with seriousness given the repeated nature of the hoax threats and the reference to a high-profile terror convict.
An official from the airport security force stated, “These are deliberate attempts to create panic. We are coordinating with central agencies to identify and apprehend the individual or group responsible.”
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has also been alerted, and precautionary measures have been reviewed to prevent future disruptions.
This marks the second such incident at Kempegowda Airport in just one week, raising questions about the motives behind the repeated hoax threats and whether a coordinated campaign is underway.
