Bomb scare on Mumbai-bound IndiGo flight delays departure at Kolkata airport, passenger detained

A private airline's flight at Kolkata airport was delayed on Tuesday afternoon after a passenger allegedly claimed to be carrying a bomb. The aircraft, which was scheduled to fly from Kolkata to Mumbai, was immediately moved to the isolation bay for a full security check, according to airport officials.

The incident involved a 26-year-old man who was travelling from Imphal to Mumbai, with a stopover in Kolkata. While going through a step ladder point check — a final security process where airline staff frisk passengers and inspect hand baggage just before boarding, the passenger told a security officer that he had a bomb.

This raised a serious alarm. Authorities followed standard procedures for such cases. The passenger was detained right away, and the aircraft was evacuated and taken to an isolated part of the airport for inspection. A total of 186 passengers were scheduled to board the flight, and 179 had already taken their seats when the incident occurred.

The flight, operated by IndiGo as 6E 5227, was supposed to depart for Mumbai at 1:30 PM. Due to the security threat, the departure was delayed as the plane underwent detailed safety checks. In a statement, IndiGo confirmed the threat and the steps taken:
"IndiGo flight 6E 5227 operating from Kolkata to Mumbai received a bomb threat prior to departure. In accordance with security protocols, the aircraft was moved to an isolation bay at Kolkata airport. All necessary checks were conducted, and the standard operating procedures were followed."

No explosives were found after the investigation, and the security threat was later declared non-specific. Still, authorities took the matter seriously, especially since security across Indian airports has been on high alert following tensions along the India-Pakistan border. The safety of all passengers remained the top priority, and normal operations resumed once the plane was cleared.