A man who was about to board a Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight from the Calcutta airport on Tuesday told an airline personnel that he was carrying a bomb. What followed was the evacuation of 179 passengers, who had already boarded, to carry out a search operation.
Around 1.35pm, Regal Chongtham, 27, who flew to the city from Imphal a few hours earlier, declared to the airline staff member at the ladder of the Indigo 6E 5227 Airbus that he was carrying a bomb. “Mere paas bomb hai (I have a bomb),” an airport official quoted him as saying.
By then, of 186 passengers, 179 had already boarded, airport sources said.
Airport officials swung into action and activated the emergency protocol. The passengers were asked to deboard the plane. The aircraft was then taken to the isolation bay for thorough checking, the airport officials said.
“On Tuesday, we got a call from the airport manager that a passenger informed IndiGo security at the security checkpoint in Hindi that he had a bomb,” said an airport official. “Boarding started at 12.23pm. The aircraft was taken to the isolation bay, and security procedures were started.”
The flight was delayed by more than four hours, and left for Mumbai around 5.40pm instead of 1.30pm. Airport sources said passengers had to wait for over three hours in coaches.
“IndiGo flight 6E 5227 operating from Kolkata to Mumbai received a bomb threat prior to departure. In accordance with security protocols, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay at Kolkata airport. All necessary checks were conducted, and the standard operating procedures were followed,” IndiGo said in a statement on Tuesday.
Chongtham’s mother Bino Kumari spoke to The Telegraph from her Imphal home on Tuesday. She said her son was going to Mumbai to submit hard copies of a form for an Indian Navy course.
“I cannot imagine why he would say something like that. He must have jokingly said it. But we are angry about why he would do that... But he had no malice. I have been told he will be released. I am worried about his career,” she said.
Police said Chongtham was detained for questioning, but no direct offence was established based on which he could be arrested.