Kochi: A bomb threat targeting Kochi International Airport on Friday morning triggered heightened security measures before being declared a hoax. The threat, delivered via an anonymous email, also mentioned Anna University in Chennai as a potential target.
According to airport sources, the airport's Public Relations Officer received the alarming email claiming that a pipe bomb would be detonated at both locations to mark the anniversary of what the sender described as the “unjust execution of Afzal Guru.” The email’s reference to a politically sensitive case immediately raised red flags within security circles.
Following standard protocol, officials promptly activated the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) a multidisciplinary panel comprising CISF, local police, airport security, and intelligence personnel. The airport’s operations were temporarily placed under high alert while checks and threat evaluation procedures were carried out.
After thorough assessment, the committee concluded that the threat was "non-specific and lacked credibility," ruling it a hoax. No suspicious items were found in or around the premises.
Officials noted that this wasn’t the first time Kochi airport has been targeted with such false alarms. Earlier in the year, a similar email had triggered a brief but intense security drill, which also turned out to be a hoax.
However, Friday’s scare carried added weight given the tragic crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad just a day prior, which killed over 240 people. Authorities say such threats even when unsubstantiated cannot be taken lightly in the current security climate.
Cybersecurity and intelligence teams have been tasked with tracing the origin of the email. Initial assessments suggest it could be part of a pattern of deliberate disruption through hoax threats, a trend that Indian airports have seen increase in recent months.
Operations at Kochi International Airport have since returned to normal, but officials confirmed that vigilance will remain high in the days ahead.