An IndiGo flight destined for Shillong from Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (CCU) was grounded on Thursday, December 8, 2022, after a bomb threat note was discovered onboard. The incident involving flight 6E 7936 prompted immediate security protocols, leading to the deplaning of all passengers and a comprehensive security sweep of the aircraft. This marked the second bomb scare for IndiGo within a 24-hour period.

The threat note was reportedly found written with lipstick inside a lavatory of the Airbus A320 aircraft. Upon discovery, airline staff promptly notified airport authorities and security agencies. The flight, which was preparing for departure to Shillong, was immediately halted on the tarmac.

The incident initiated a full-scale emergency response from various security and aviation bodies:

  • Flight Diversion and Evacuation: The aircraft was moved to an isolated bay. All passengers were safely deplaned and transferred back to the terminal.
  • Security Assessment: The Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC) was convened to evaluate the credibility of the threat.
  • Intensive Search: A joint team comprising bomb disposal squads, sniffer dogs, and personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport security conducted a thorough inspection of the aircraft, passenger luggage, and cargo.
  • Outcome: Following an extensive search lasting several hours, no suspicious devices or materials were found. The threat was subsequently declared a hoax.

The previous day, Wednesday, December 7, 2022, an IndiGo flight (6E 6049) en route from Delhi to Deoghar had also experienced a similar bomb scare. That flight, carrying 168 passengers, was diverted to Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport after an anonymous email indicated a potential threat. Like the Kolkata incident, the Delhi-Deoghar threat was also determined to be a hoax after a detailed search.

Airline officials confirmed that safety and security procedures were adhered to rigorously in both incidents. The grounding of the Kolkata-Shillong flight caused significant delays for passengers, who were later accommodated on a rescheduled flight or offered alternative arrangements after the aircraft was cleared for operations. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the origin of both threat notes to identify the individuals responsible. Further details regarding the ongoing investigations are pending.