Panic gripped Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) early Saturday morning after a bomb threat email was received on the airport’s customer support account. The email allegedly mentioned a planned attack by operatives linked to the LTTE-ISI network. Following the threat, security agencies immediately sprang into action, diverting Indigo flight 6E68, which was operating on the Jeddah–Hyderabad route, to Mumbai as a precautionary measure.
According to airport authorities, around 5:30 a.m. on November 1, an email titled “Stop Indigo 68 from Landing in Hyderabad” was received from an individual identifying themselves as “Papita Rajan.” The message claimed that the planned attack would mimic the 1984 Madras Airport operation. It also alleged that explosives containing nerve gas–based IEDs had been installed in the aircraft’s fuselage using microbots.
Upon receiving the threat, the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) held an urgent virtual meeting. Considering the situation to be of the highest severity, the committee decided to divert the flight to the nearest airport. The Air Traffic Control (ATC) promptly instructed the flight’s captain, and the aircraft was safely landed in Mumbai without incident.
After the aircraft’s safe landing, all security protocols were activated for thorough checks. The GMR security team lodged an official complaint with the police, and an investigation has been launched to identify the sender and verify the authenticity of the email.
In an official statement, IndiGo Airlines said, “Upon receiving information about a security threat, we immediately informed the concerned authorities and fully cooperated with the investigation. Necessary arrangements were made to minimize passenger inconvenience. The safety of our passengers, crew, and aircraft remains our top priority.”
Authorities confirmed that operations at Hyderabad airport have resumed normalcy. However, the probe into the bomb threat remains ongoing, with security agencies maintaining heightened alert across all major airports.