Mumbai: An unexpected and serious situation has situation has arisen in India aviation history as 12 Indian aircrafts, including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air and SpiceJet have received hoax bomb threats in the last three days. The threats leading to emergency situations and flight diversion have left flyers panicked and puzzled. The threats are not only creating significant disruptions, left hundreds of passengers stranded but raised grave questions over security measures and safety of passengers.

A Parliamentary Standing Committee met at 11 am on Wednesday over the issue preceded by a meeting called by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu with Civil Aviation Ministry and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials. Some culprits have been identified and the dark web is also being monitored. While a 17-year-old minor is being questioned in an Air India bomb threat call case.

On Wednesday afternoon, a Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight carrying 184 individuals returned to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on after a bomb threat prompted the airline to declare an emergency. Minutes after taking off from Delhi the flight was urgently diverted back. This became the 12th such aircraft in the last 72 hours which received an bomb scare.

Meanwhile, IndiGo’s Mumbai-Delhi flight was redirected to Ahmedabad. The aircraft was isolated, and all passengers were safely disembarked, an IndiGo Spokesperson said.

On Wednesday morning, Canadian Air Force aircraft safely transported 191 stranded passengers from Iqaluit Airport to Chicago, after an 18-hour delay due to a bomb scare on an Air India flight.

On Monday, three international flights that took off from Mumbai were diverted or delayed after an X (formerly Twitter) handle posted threats. While on Tuesday, seven flights, including the two Air India planes, were affected by the threats issued by another X handle which has now been suspended. Screenshots of some of the posts show the user had tagged the airline and local police and mentioned the flight number.

Notably, fo the delay in international flights, the agencies of the concerned countries also get involved in the investigations. The trend of issuing threats online had increased lately, raising serious questions over usage of social media, dark web, fake users as well as safety and security.

Mumbai: As the dates of the Maharashtra assembly elections come close, the political atmosphere in the state is heated with politicians engaging in verbal attacks. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray once again attacked the BJP saying the it engages in double standard Hindutva. “We are against ‘Fake Hindutva’ and we do not tell people what to eat and what to dress,” Thackeray said.

Aaditya Thackeray, the MLA from Worli, Mumbai said, “I want to ask why India played a bilateral cricket series with Bangladesh when Hindus are being attacked there. We are against this double standards. We protect our religion when we have to.”

“The current CM is a contractor minister, and Maharashtra knows it. My father (Uddhav Thackeray) was backstabbed when he was at his lowest after his two surgeries. But here is about where Maharashtra moves forward. The state known for its law & order, and open society is now forced into BJP ideology. God forbid, even if I lose, I will continue fighting for Mumbai and Maharashtra and its sale to two contractor friends CM Eknath Shinde,” Aaditya Thackeray further said in the interview.

On Tuesday, after the election commission announced the schedule for Maharashtra assembly elections, Aaditya Thackeray had said that, “We have been seeing the loot of Maharashtra for the last 2 years, we (Shiv Sena UBT) now hope to get justice in the court of the people,” he said.

The elections for the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra will be held on November 20 in a single phase and results will be declared on November 23.

Mumbai: Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, Mahayuti leaders Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar released a ‘report card’ of the Mahayuti government’s performance in last 2 years. While, releasing the report, the CM and his deputies said that the Ladki Bahin Yojana was a successful scheme and more schemes on these lines will be introduced. Financial provision will be made to successfully implement the schemes, the leaders added.

The Mahayuti leaders highlighted that the toll tax exemption was in their election manifesto and they have kept their promise. CM Eknath Shinde said that the ruling Mahayuti alliance leaders are working as a team and launching schemes for the benefit of the common man. While, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar slammed the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi for spreading rumours and highlighted successful government initiatives like the Ladli Bahna Yojana, which have significantly benefited women.

The 2-year report card of the 2.5-year-old Mahayuti government was released on Wednesday in the press conference where Mahayuti alliance leaders including Ramdas Athavale, Praven Darekar, Sunil Tatkare had also joined.

Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis slammed the MVA for criticising the Ladki Bahin Yojana and said, “If the MVA says the government does not have funds to run the Ladki Bahin scheme, on what grounds do they promise to continue the scheme if they come to power.” The MVA will discontinue the scheme, Fadnavis said. Till now at least 4 to 5 instalments have been deposited in the accounts for Ladki Bahin scheme for more than 2.5 crore beneficiaries of our state,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar reiterated that Ladki Bahin scheme is not a temporary scheme, it is a permanent one, while the government will think on increasing the monthly installment.

The political atmosphere in the state is heated as the election dates for the assembly polls are announced. The election commission of India announced the voting schedule on Tuesday and the model code of conduct of conduct has began in Maharashtra.

The elections for 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra will be conducted in a single phase on November 20 and results will be declared on November 23.