‘Use AI-Based Mechanisms To Identify Culprits,’ Centre Pulls Up ‘X’ Over Flight Bomb Threats

Amendments are being proposed to The Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act (SUASCA), 1982, whereby the perpetrators could be arrested and a probe can be initiated without a court order for offences when an aircraft is on the ground.

Also, changes are being planned to aircraft security rules to ensure stringent punishment for perpetrators of bomb threats to flights.

The Delhi Police have registered eight separate First Information Reports (FIR)s in connection with bomb threats to more than 90 domestic and international flights over the past eight days. The affected flights include services from Akasa, Air India, IndiGo and Vistara, operating from Delhi to various domestic and international destinations, officials told news agency PTI, adding the investigation is underway.

According to a senior police officer, the threats messages were received through anonymous posts on X which were later suspended by the authorities, News18 reported. The officer said three accounts on social media platform X have been found involved in posting threat messages to fights. The first case was registered on October 16 following a bomb threat received via X, targeting a Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight. The aircraft, carrying over 180 passengers, was forced to return to the national capital.