Bomb hoax email targets 18 Indian Airports, including Chennai; security scare ends after intensive checks

CHENNAI: A major security alert was triggered at Chennai International Airport on Sunday, along with 17 other airports across India, following a bomb threat received via email. The scare caused significant disruption and high alert at Chennai’s terminals.

The threat arrived via an anonymous email sent to the Airport director’s office around 10:30 am. Originating from a foreign location using a fake address, the email claimed powerful liquid bombs had been concealed within the airport’s domestic and international terminals, as well as 17 other Indian airports, and that they were all set to detonate on Sunday.

Immediately, high-level emergency security meetings were convened at the city airport. Bomb disposal squads and sniffer dog teams launched intensive searches across all suspected areas within the terminals, working parallel to regular operations. Similar security sweeps were presumably initiated at the other threatened airports.

After thorough, painstaking checks, security officials and bomb experts confirmed no suspicious objects were found. The threat was declared a hoax, bringing significant relief to authorities.

Despite the all-clear, the airport police have formally registered a case regarding the hoax threat. A serious investigation is underway in collaboration with the Chennai Cyber Crime Branch to trace the origin of the threatening email.

The incident caused considerable alarm and activity at the airport throughout the morning, though flight operations continued under heightened security.