Suspicious threat note delays IndiGo flight from Coimbatore to Chennai

The departure of a Chennai-bound IndiGo flight from Coimbatore International Airport to Chennai was delayed on Sunday evening after the airline staff found a note inside the aircraft, which allegedly had mentions about a hijack.

As a security protocol, 169 passengers, including Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani and Madras High Court Judge Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, were evacuated from the aircraft for a security check.

The police said that an IndiGo flight arrived from Chennai at Coimbatore airport around 3.20 p.m. on Sunday. During the routine check after arrival, the airline staff found a piece of paper, which read “My name Mohammed Atta, Unscheduled last minute 23 C, Be Thankful For Alla, I didn’t hijack your plane, Alla Mi Alla Miqul, Alla is my Rahhmaan, Rahman Rahimi, Alla Hu Akbar, I died, I revived from the whole tower, hijackers Khalo Almidhar, tomorrow you all die.”

While some of the staff took the note to the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), the passengers for the return flight to Chennai were allowed to board the aircraft, which was scheduled to leave at 4 p.m.

The CISF personnel took serious note of the contents on the piece of paper and all the169 passengers, who boarded the flight, were evacuated. They were sent to the arrival section and made to go through security check again through the departure section. Meanwhile, the CISF team searched the aircraft, which left for Chennai around 5.30 p.m.

The Peelamedu police said that a complaint regarding the incident was received late on Sunday and an entry was made in the community service register. The police said that further investigation was on into the incident.