India: Mumbai-bound flight delayed for 6 hours over ‘you are a bomber’ message

A Mumbai-bound Indigo flight was delayed for over six hours after a passenger raised an alarm over a suspicious text message received by a fellow passenger that she had noticed.

According to reports, the incident happened in India’s southern Mangaluru city on Sunday. The woman claimed that she accidentally peeked into the message on the man’s phone and saw the ‘you are a bomber’ on it, following which she raised an alarm and alerted the cabin crew.

The Air Traffic Controller was informed of the matter and the flight was ordered to return to the bay, following which the passengers deboarded the plane and a thorough security check was conducted.

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It was later revealed that the message was just a hoax, as the man was busy chatting with his friend—a girl—who was to catch another flight for Bengalurufrom the same airport.

The authorities then checked the passengers' baggage again, following which they were allowed to re-board the flight. The plane flight left by 5pm with 185 passengers, excluding the man who received the message, onboard.

While the man was not allowed to take the flight, his friend was called into questioning and as a result she missed her scheduled flight.

Speaking to the Times of India newspaper, Mangaluru police commissioner N Shashi Kumar said that no complaint was filed because the matter was a personal chat between two friends.

(With inputs from agencies)

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