Kochi: A casual question during a routine bag check landed an air passenger in trouble at Kochi airport on Sunday. The 42-year-old passenger was on his way to Mumbai on an early morning flight, said Cochin International Airport Ltd in a press release.

During the pre-embarkation security check, Manoj Kumar asked the CISF officer, "Is there any bomb in my bag?" This casual poser triggered immediate concern and prompted the airport security team to take swift action. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad inspected the passenger's cabin and checked baggage. After completing the necessary checks, which revealed no threat, Kumar was handed over to the local police for further investigation, the release said.

While Kumar was not allowed to fly, the Air India flight departed on time, the release said.
Recently, a bomb joke made by a passenger in the wee hours alerted the security officials at the airport, leading to his arrest. Moreover, his ‘little’ prank had caused the flight to get delayed by over two hours. The fake threat was made by Thiruvananthapuram native Prashant, a businessman in Africa, who was supposed to fly on Thai Airlines.

Prashant, his family and two other passengers who were checked in under the same PNR weren’t allowed to board the aircraft. Their luggage too was recalled for further inspection.

As per rules, non-specific bomb threats could invite a jail term of up to five years. Besides, the passenger may be blacklisted too. He/she may face the consequences of getting blacklisted, in their future air travels.