The government is exploring serious solutions, including banning the culprits from flying, to address hoax bomb threats as Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan held meeting with Director Generals of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Monday to assess the security situation that threatens to de-establise the Civil Aviation sector.

Adding to the government’s concern is US-based Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun warning passengers against flying Air India from November 1 to November 19 an attack between the specified dates, which coincide with the “40th anniversary of the Sikh genocide”

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said at a press conference that his Ministry is considering amending existing laws to deal with such false bomb threats.

Amendments to laws

“There are two areas that we can explore – 1) Amendment in Aircraft Security Rules… one of the ideas that we want to propagate by changing these rules is that once we catch hold of the perpetrator, we want to put them in the no-flying list… 2) Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act,” Naidu told reporters

The Ministry has been using this rule to bar unruly passengers from flying. More than 247 passengers have already been blacklisted and put in no-flying list in the last four years under the Civil Aviation Requirement rule, the government had informed Parliament in February.

Meanwhile, BCAS DG Zulfiquar Hasan and CSIF DG Rajwinder Singh Bhatti were closeted in a half-an-hour meeting with Home Secretary Mohan at North Block to discuss coordinated response to the series of hoax calls that have refused to die down, forcing extensive security checks at airports, said sources.

How to bridge gaps in the aviation security to potential threats in such a scenario was also discussed and quick response to any emergency also came up to ensure safety of passengers, sources indicated.

‘Indian skies safe’

On Sunday alone, at least 25 flights operatedby IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Vistara among others received hoaz bomb threats. In the last one week, more than 100 flights operating on domestic and international routes received hoax bomb threats.

BCAS top brass and airlines CEOs met on October 19 to arrive to a solution on ways to handle such situations that have caused panic in the aviation sector and among people.

After the meeting with CEOs, BCAS DG Hasan said these hoax calls will be curbed at the earliest as they are working on it and assured that Indian skies are absolutely safe.

“Indian skies are absolutely safe. The current protocol to deal with the situation is robust and is being strictly followed. We reassure passengers that they should fly without any fear and, in fact, fly even more,” he had told a news agency.

The BCAS is the nodal agency to lay down standards and measures of security of civil flights at international and domestic airports in India.

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