Indian airports are on high alert after a threat was made over the weekend to hijack a state-run Air India flight.
The anonymous caller phoned in the threat to the Kolkata office of Air India, according to NDTV. The brief call was allegedly made in Bengali, but the caller did not specify which flight would be targeted.
The call prompted Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and others across the nation to increase security measures. According to India Express, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has increased security at major airports across the country and “anti-hijacking and anti-sabotage measures have been put in place to thwart any such attempt.”
Air India issued a statement on its Twitter account on Sunday after the new security measures caused delays.
With reference to media reports about a hijack threat to AI flight/s, we would like to assure all pax that AI, together with BCAS &….1/2
— Air India (@airindiain) January 4, 2015
…. with the security issue. Due to operational reasons, ETD is now 1900 hrs. We regret the inconvenience caused to you. 2/2
— Air India (@airindiain) January 4, 2015
One person was arrested on Monday for allegedly making the call.
The alert is the latest following a general alert weeks ahead of a state visit by President Obama planned for Jan. 26. Obama will attend the annual Republic Day Parade as the chief guest.
The initial advisory, sent out in mid-December to Indian law enforcement agencies, called for increased security at locations deemed vulnerable to attack, which included public transportation locations and schools.