Recent weeks have seen a surge in bomb threats targeting flights between Kathmandu and New Delhi, with two incidents reported within a week. The latest incident involved an Air India flight (AI-216) scheduled to depart for New Delhi on Monday. Passengers were evacuated, and thorough security checks were conducted following an anonymous bomb threat, though no suspicious items were found.
According to Nepal Police spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dan Bahadur Karki, a full investigation was launched, but no evidence of a bomb was discovered. “We have received several bomb threat reports related to flights from India to Nepal, but no suspicious items have been found so far,” stated DIG Karki.
Tribhuvan International Airport General Manager Jagannath Niraula confirmed that despite the ongoing investigation, both domestic and international flights continue to operate as normal. The Air India aircraft, which had landed at Kathmandu’s airport at 2 PM, was preparing to depart with 58 passengers bound for Delhi when the threat was received. Nepal Police and a special Nepal Army team inspected the plane thoroughly as a precaution.
Just days earlier, on October 22, a similar bomb scare impacted a Vistara Airlines flight (UK 155) from New Delhi to Kathmandu, prompting a search by a Nepal Army explosives disposal team. That threat traced back to an anonymous caller from Delhi, also turned out to be a hoax, with no suspicious items found.
The recent incidents have raised concerns about aviation security, though authorities emphasize that the threats have so far been baseless. Security measures are under review to ensure continued safety for all passengers and personnel.
Source: RSS
