A bomb threat written on the washroom mirror of an IndiGo flight from Thailand's Phuket to Kolkata triggered an extensive security check on Saturday, October 24, leaving passengers waiting on the tarmac for nearly two hours after landing, airport officials said. Flight 6E1494, an Airbus A320neo carrying 188 passengers, landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 2:05 pm.

Source: IANS via Hi India

Shortly after landing, cabin crew spotted the threatening message written on the mirror inside the aircraft's toilet. Passengers were evacuated and made to wait while the plane was moved to an isolation bay. The CISF, the bomb squad and airport police searched the aircraft for more than two hours, and passengers were allowed into the terminal only around 4:30 pm. Nothing suspicious was recovered.

Source: Meghalaya Times (IANS)

Second threat in two days

The incident came a day after a handwritten bomb-threat note on a tissue paper was found by cleaning staff in a women's restroom inside the airport, warning of a bomb near Gate 30. That search also found nothing suspicious. Police are examining the passenger list and CCTV footage to identify who wrote the message on the aircraft, and Bidhannagar City Police have questioned the cleaner who found the first note, according to reports. Officials said initial indications were that the messages were meant to spread panic.

Security at the airport has been tightened following the back-to-back threats, and the investigation is continuing.