Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI,OCT 3 : Indian Air Force fighter jets were scrambled from Jodhpur and Punjab to intercept an Iranian aircraft following reports that a bomb was on board. The bomb threat was received when the plane, headed to China, entered Indian airspace on Monday. As per the IAF statement, the aircraft was allowed to continue on its flight towards China after Iranian agencies asked the officials to disregard the threat.

Inputs were received by security agencies in Delhi about the possibility of a bomb on board, which triggered an alert. Mahan Air contacted the Delhi airport’s Air Traffic Control after the airline received a bomb threat for an immediate landing there, an ATC source told ANI.

Two Su-30MKI fighter jets were scrambled to intercept the plane, top government sources told India Today TV.

However, the aircraft was later allowed to move towards its destination, China, after clearance. Security agencies kept a close watch on the plane and its route towards China over the Indian airspace, with all air stations of the IAF and aviation units on alert.

“The Indian Air Force jets were scrambled after the information was received and we were following it, maintaining a safe distance, as per the standard operating procedures and shadowing the suspected aircraft. However, the aircraft was allowed to continue on its flight towards China after Iranian agencies asked us to disregard the threat. We continued to follow it closely till the time it left Indian airspace. The aircraft is now out of Indian airspace,” top IAF officials told India Today.

The IAF also said in a statement that the Iranian aircraft had the option to land at Jaipur and then at Chandigarh, but the pilot declared his unwillingness to divert to either of the two airports.

“The aircraft was under close radar surveillance by the Indian Air Force throughout the Indian airspace,” it said.

-PTI