A chilling email bomb threat laced with Khalistan rhetoric targeted Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Wednesday, catapulting security agencies into high gear. The incident unfolded amid routine operations, exposing the fragility of public infrastructure to online extremism.
Received at 11:05 AM on official channels from Amber Durham, the message labeled the airport a prime target. It veered into divisive territory, asserting Sikhs’ non-Hindu identity and vilifying the PM and Home Minister as Khalistan adversaries, with ultimatums for compliance or chaos.
Response was textbook precise. Police formalized the complaint, ramping up patrols and checks. An emergency Bomb Threat Assessment session at 11:20 AM dissected the threat, deeming it non-specific but prompting exhaustive inspections of all areas including baggage and terminals.
Ravikant Bhardwaj, the security duty manager, initiated legal action against the anonymous sender via IT Act and criminal threat laws. Cyber experts are dissecting digital trails to unmask the culprit.
This follows a January 23 barrage of threats to 20 schools, all proven hoaxes after thorough probes. The pattern suggests coordinated efforts to sow fear, possibly from overseas proxies.
As Ahmedabad Airport normalizes, the episode reinforces the need for vigilant cyber defenses. With India’s aviation sector booming, such threats test the mettle of layered security protocols, from AI monitoring to swift inter-agency coordination, safeguarding the nation’s skies.