11 fake X accounts reportedly identified for issuing hoax bomb threats to over 170 flights
According to industry estimates, in the past week alone, airlines have suffered losses in excess of Rs 600 crore. On average, disruption to a domestic flight would cost around Rs 1.5 crore, while the expenses would be around Rs 5-5.5 crore for an international flight.
The Delhi Police team investigating the recent flurry of hoax bomb threats to flights has reportedly identified 11 social media accounts responsible for creating the panic that has disrupted airline operations across India for more than a week now. Around 170 flights, operated by Indian carriers, including those flying both domestic and international routes, had received hoax bomb threats, resulting in widespread disruption and financial losses amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees.
CREDIT: BCCL
Delhi Police seek information from X
The first case was registered on 16 October following a bomb threat received via X, targeting a Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight. The aircraft, carrying over 180 passengers, was forced to return to the national capital.
The police wrote to the social media platform X the next day seeking details of the accounts that posted threatening messages, but the force was unable to get the details of the user's ID or domain.
"It was suspected that the handler used a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or a dark web browser to set up the accounts on X and then posted the messages from more than one account," the officer said.
CREDIT: BCCL
Various teams of the Delhi Police's cyber cell are monitoring the activities on X and other social media platforms regarding the ongoing threats to flights.
Government meets airline, social media representatives
As the threats continue to surface on social media, the government on Tuesday met with representatives of airlines and social media platforms. According to reports, in the meeting, officials from the Union Ministry of Electronics and IT accused X of abetting the crime and questioned its representatives on the steps taken to stop such rumours from spreading.
CREDIT: BCCL
Rs 600 crore losses for airlines
According to industry estimates, in the past week alone, airlines have suffered losses in excess of Rs 600 crore.
On average, disruption to a domestic flight would cost around Rs 1.5 crore, while the expenses would be around Rs 5-5.5 crore for an international flight, amounting to around Rs 600 crore, according to an official who has worked in the finance department of a domestic airline.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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