Bomb scare on Varanasi-Bengaluru IndiGo flight: Canadian passenger detained for making threat

NEW DELHI: Panic erupted at Varanasi airport on Saturday night after a foreign national aboard a Bengaluru-bound IndiGo flight claimed he was carrying a bomb, police said on Sunday. The passenger, identified as a Canadian citizen, has been detained, officials added.

The detainee is being questioned on the matter. A detailed probe has been ordered.

After the bomb scare, the aircraft was shifted to the isolation bay for a detailed inspection, but no explosives were discovered, said airport director Puneet Gupta. He said that IndiGo crew immediately alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC) after the passenger made the threat.

The flight was grounded and thoroughly inspected following standard security procedures. Officials said the aircraft was cleared by security agencies and departed for Bengaluru on Sunday morning.