Airline employee calls bomb hoax after poor performance warning

A disgruntled airline worker has been arrested for allegedly making a bomb hoax threat in Mumbai.

Kartik Madhav Bhat reportedly wanted to “teach a lesson” to his employer, IndiGo – a budget Indian-based airline – after he was reprimanded for poor performance.

Local reports claim that Bhat made a false bomb threat, calling it in to the IndiGo Airlines Office at Indira Gandhi International Airport. After investigators were called to the scene, they uncovered the threat was a hoax.

Following an interrogation, police found that Bhat, a customer service officer, had been called up on his performance and given a verbal notice to improve or lose his job in three months. Bhat reportedly made the call after being warned, in a moment of frustration.

Police managed to identify the number Bhat made the call from, which was confirmed once police seized the phone.

“The accused, Kartik Madhav Bhat (23), who was a 'customer service officer' with IndiGo airlines, was caught after investigators traced the call he had made to Pune. He was arrested from his residence," added Sanjay Bhatia, DCP, Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

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