A bomb scare on board an IndiGo flight arriving from Bengaluru via Chennai triggered a major security alert at Veer Savarkar International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, prompting senior officials, police and multiple security agencies to rush to the airport and launch an emergency response, according to police and airport sources.
The scare came to light around 1.30 pm after a cabin crew member found a handwritten message on a tissue paper inside one of the aircraft’s toilets, stating that a bomb was on board, sources familiar with the incident said. The information was then communicated through air traffic control channels in Chennai and Bengaluru, following which precautionary measures were initiated before the aircraft landed in Sri Vijaya Puram, the sources added.
The flight landed safely and all passengers were deboarded without incident, according to airport sources. As a precaution, however, passengers were held inside the arrival area for some time and were not immediately allowed to leave the terminal while security agencies began checks, people aware of the developments said.
Security personnel then carried out a detailed inspection of the aircraft, sweeping the cabin, baggage areas and other sections of the plane to rule out any possible threat, police sources said. The aircraft also underwent a sanitation and cleaning process as part of the overall response, airport officials said.
The incident caused anxiety among passengers and led to temporary disruption at the airport, with movement inside the terminal closely monitored and security presence stepped up across the premises, according to airport sources. Senior officials converged at the airport soon after the message was detected, while emergency procedures remained in force until the aircraft was cleared, sources said.
The aircraft appeared to be IndiGo flight 6E845, operating the Chennai–Sri Vijaya Puram leg of a Bengaluru-origin journey, though the flight number could not be independently confirmed from an official airline or police statement at the time of writing.
A senior police officer confirmed that information about the bomb threat was received at the police control room, after which forces were immediately mobilised. The officer said an investigation had been launched into the source and intent of the handwritten message.
Under standard aviation security procedures, bomb threats are treated seriously until they are physically cleared through inspection and verification, officials said. That is why passengers are deboarded, movement is restricted and several agencies are involved in securing and examining the aircraft before normal operations resume, they added.
The disruption was significant because Veer Savarkar International Airport is the main air gateway to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, handling regular links to key mainland cities. Any temporary security lockdown at the airport can affect passenger movement and terminal operations in a region heavily dependent on air connectivity, officials said.
No suspicious object had been found till the time of writing, police sources said. Initial indications suggested the threat may have been a hoax, though officials said all angles were being examined. After preliminary checks were completed, passengers were eventually allowed to leave, even as investigation agencies continued their inquiry.
An email query sent to IndiGo remained unanswered till the time of publication.
Authorities said there was no immediate cause for panic, but maintained heightened vigilance at the airport as the probe continued.
