- An email threatened a blast at Hyderabad airport linked to Gulf Air flight GF274 from Bahrain, per sources
- The threat was received at 10.30 pm and sent to multiple official airport email addresses
- The sender claimed to represent the Tamil Liberation Organisation and alleged extremists onboard
An e-mail received on Wednesday threatened a blast at the Hyderabad airport when a Gulf Air flight from Bahrain lands, according to sources.
Airport sources said the threat pertaining to the Manama-Hyderabad Gulf Air flight GF274 was received at 10.30 pm. It was sent from an unidentified e-mail address to multiple official airport e-mail addresses, including that of the customer support, and lost and found departments.
The mail's subject line read 'Holy Jihad: Blast in Hyderabad Airport Terminals When Gulf Air 274 From Bahrain Lands to RGIA', while the sender claimed to represent a group identifying as the Tamil Liberation Organisation (TLO).
In the mail, the sender alleged that members trained by an extremist outfit were on board the flight and threatened that an explosion would occur upon landing. Further, serious allegations were also made against certain political individuals.
The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport authorities in Hyderabad activated the Bomb Threat Assessment Committee (BTAC), which declared the threat as "non-specific" after a detailed assessment.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has intensified surveillance in and around the airport as a precautionary measure. While the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) asked for a thorough scan in the check-in and arrival areas, random security checks were also ramped up.
Authorities have launched an investigation to trace the e-mail's origin and identify the sender.
