NEW DELHI – In response to a troubling rise in hoax bomb threats against flights, the Indian government is gearing up to introduce a new law targeting such offenses. These false threats have severely disrupted airline schedules and inconvenienced numerous travelers.

According to reports from the Press Trust of India, over 120 flights operated by Indian airlines have received bomb threats within just two weeks. K Rammohan, the Minister of Civil Aviation, announced on Monday that the upcoming legislation would include measures to place offenders on a no-fly list and amend the 1982 Civil Aviation Act. This amendment would empower authorities to arrest and investigate suspects without the need for a court order.

On Tuesday, IndiGo, one of India’s largest private airlines, reported that nine of its flights bound for Jeddah and Dammam in Saudi Arabia, as well as several flights from Turkey, had been targets of these hoax threats. Consequently, the airline was forced to divert these flights to the nearest airports to ensure thorough security checks. The airline stated that it had maintained close coordination with relevant authorities and adhered to standard operating procedures throughout the incidents.

Despite the frequency of these threats, many of the perpetrators have not yet been identified. In a recent development, authorities in Mumbai reported the apprehension of a 17-year-old from eastern Chhattisgarh, who allegedly posted bomb threat messages on social media networks of different airlines. Police officer Maneesh Kalwaniya revealed that the boy’s intent was to implicate another individual linked to a business dispute.

The Press Trust of India highlighted that on a single night, 30 domestic and international flights—operated by Indian carriers including IndiGo, Vistara, and Air India—reportedly received bomb threats. Minister Rammohan emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting that “even if bomb threats are hoaxes, we cannot treat them lightly.”