CISF updates protocols for hoax calls

THE CISF SAID 680 HOAX CALLS WERE RECEIVED IN OCT ALONE, MUCH HIGHER THAN THE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED FIGURE OF 250 THREATS

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Indian authorities have streamlined their response to aviation bomb threats by allowing security committees to meet virtually, marking a significant change to protocols following an unprecedented wave of hoax calls that disrupted the nation's aviation sector in October.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) confirmed that 680 hoax calls were received in October alone, affecting tens of thousands of passengers across the country. This figure far exceeds the previously reported 250 flights that received threats during an 11-day period in October, revealing the full scale of disruption. "After the hoax calls affected the airline sector, a meeting was held to decide on ways to minimise passenger inconvenience, while ensuring there are no laxities in the security drill," CISF chief spokesperson DIG Shrikant Kishore told reporters on Monday.