A SriLankan Airlines flight traveling from Chennai to Colombo was thoroughly searched upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport following a security advisory, according to reports. The alert, reportedly issued by Indian intelligence, suggested the possible presence of individuals connected to a recent terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir.
Authorities in both Chennai and Colombo responded swiftly after an anonymous email claimed that members of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba might be onboard. However, the email came in only after the flight had taken off from Chennai, prompting precautionary measures upon its landing in Sri Lanka.
Once the flight reached Colombo shortly before noon on May 3, Sri Lankan security agencies, working alongside the airline, conducted a full sweep of the aircraft. No threat or suspect was found during the inspection, and the flight was cleared for further operations.
SriLankan Airlines later issued a statement confirming that one of its planes had been subjected to a heightened security protocol due to the intelligence input shared by Indian authorities. The airline emphasized that safety remains a top priority and that all procedures were carried out in coordination with national security agencies.
Pahalgam terror attack
Sri Lankan airlines confirm security search on a flight from Chennai ‘regarding a suspect wanted in India’ https://t.co/3lAj6dFUAV pic.twitter.com/rcXnFOMp7k
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) May 3, 2025
This alert comes amid heightened tensions after a deadly attack in the Pahalgam region of Kashmir on April 22, which claimed the lives of over two dozen people, many of whom were tourists. The Resistance Front initially claimed responsibility but later disavowed the statement, citing a cyber breach.
Indian authorities, including the National Investigation Agency, have since attributed the attack to Lashkar-e-Taiba and other Pakistan-linked elements, including the ISI and the military. Investigations are ongoing, with multiple individuals from the Kashmir Valley currently being questioned for allegedly supporting the attackers.
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