Hoax social media bomb threat at IGI leads to security drills

Threat was categorised as 'non specific' or hoax around 6:30 am even as normal passenger traffic continued at the facility, officials said

Passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Credit: Reuters Photo

A counter-terrorist security drill was initiated at Delhi's IGI Airport early Wednesday morning after agencies were informed about a social media chat threatening to "bomb and eliminate" the country's largest civil aviation facility, official sources said.

The threat was categorised as "non specific" or hoax around 6:30 am even as normal passenger traffic continued at the facility, they said.

Airport security officials, sources told PTI, were informed about a social media post, in reply to an another message, that the Indira Gandhi International Airport should be bombed.

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The chat posts, whose creators are being traced by police authorities, also talked about "eliminating" the airport, the sources said.

The bomb threat assessment committee (BTAC) procedure was triggered into action at the IGI at around 5:15 am.

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The threat was declared a "hoax" and "not serious" after anti-sabotage checks of the three IGI terminals were carried out by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the Delhi Police and other airport authorities, they said.

The IGI airport in the national capital is a designated "hypersensitive" from the security point of view.

Scores of passengers transit through its terminals everyday for domestic and international departures and arrivals.