A SriLankan Airlines flight (UL 122) from Chennai was subjected to an intense security sweep upon landing at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Saturday, following intelligence alerts from Indian authorities about possible suspects involved in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.
According to a statement from the airline, Flight UL 122, operated by aircraft 4R-ALS, touched down in Colombo at 11:59 am and was immediately cordoned off and searched in coordination with local law enforcement.
"This was carried out in coordination with local authorities following an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre regarding a suspect wanted in India who was believed to be on board," the airline said in an official release.
Following a thorough inspection, the aircraft was cleared, though it caused a delay in its next scheduled flight — UL 308 to Singapore.
A News18 report revealed that Indian agencies had alerted Sri Lanka about the presence of six suspected terrorists on the flight, potentially linked to the Pahalgam massacre. No arrests were reported immediately, but authorities confirmed that enhanced checks were undertaken to rule out any threats.
“The safety and security of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority, and we strive to ensure that the highest standards of safety are consistently maintained,” SriLankan Airlines added.
This development comes amid mounting tension in the subcontinent after the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which targeted non-Muslim civilians. One of the identified attackers, Hashim Musa, is reportedly a former Pakistan Army commando, according to Indian intelligence.
