Hyderabad: Fake Bomb Threats Too Can’t Be Ignored, Say Cops

Hyderabad: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad has been grappling with bomb threats this year, with a total of 12 cases reported so far, five of which emerged in the last two months alone.

The calls kept on their toes, airport authorities, law enforcement, intelligence and CISF, apart from bomb detection squads and airline personnel to ensure that passenger safety and security was ensured.

According to a police source, an individual with the name Adam Lanza on 'X' (formerly Twitter) was discovered in the investigation as allegedly posting threats on the platform. This individual created multiple accounts to disseminate threats, only to block them shortly after and create a new account in the same name with additional numbers or characters.

The police have reached out to 'X' seeking details about the account holder. The responses received so far have led to IP addresses traced back to France and the United Kingdom.

Explaining the response to any bomb threat, Shamshabad DCP B. Rajesh said, “Law enforcement mobilises a specialised task task force comprising local police, bomb squad units, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) along with the airport authorities. We will arrange ambulances and fire engines.”

“This collaborative approach aims to bolster security at the airport and we can conduct thorough investigations into the ongoing threats. We as a team perform meticulous checks of the airport premises, including luggage and suspicious articles, and ensure that no explosive devices are present.”

DCP Rajesh said the cybercrime wing also starts working to analyse digital footprints associated with the threatening messages.

The officer added that the motive behind some of the threat cases previously appeared to be angry customers or ticket booking agents. Customers, who were not treated right or faced any discomfort, trying to vent their anger, were identified as the causes behind several threats in previous cases.

The latest series of threats, however, appears to be different.

“There will also be foreign elements disseminating serious threats and thus the security and thorough checks cannot be compromised on any grounds,” Rajesh said. “Airlines and hotels suffer losses.”

A senior officer said, “The use of anonymous platforms and tools, such as Tor, Onion and other search engines makes it challenging to pinpoint the perpetrators. Tor, originally developed by the US Navy to protect sensitive information, is now being misused by perpetrators to hold out these threats without revealing their identity. This hinders the ability to track down suspects. Additionally, they also use proxy servers which generate fake IP addresses.”