Add 'Boom' to 2020 scares

FROM PAGE 1

A loud and mysterious boom rattled many parts of Bengaluru on Wednesday afternoon at around 1.30, triggering theories and speculations even as social media went bonkers with some saying that aliens may have landed.

The vibrations following the boom rattled windows and doors for a few seconds, even as some people rushed out of their homes fearing an earthquake. However, the Disaster Management Office denied that there was an earthquake at that time.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Bhaskar Rao told the media that the police have asked the Air Force Control Room to check if this was a sonic boom triggered by a supersonic flight.

A top police official told the media that the boom could have been caused by a Sukhoi-30 jet flying over Bengaluru skies. Some pointed out that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) could have conducted flight tests of light combat aircraft (LCA).

However, HAL clarified that it had nothing to do with the boom, but hinted that a Sukhoi 30 belonging to the Aircraft & Systems Testing Establishment took off from HAL air strip around the same time the boom was heard.

The source said, "We have not issued anything official because the huge bursting sound cannot be attributed to this fighter with certainty, though it took off around this time. It is too early to say whether it was due to the aircraft as it will be mere speculation."

The Indian Air Force -Training Command in a statement denied it was their training sortie.

While Bengaluru waits for an official explanation, it was boom time on Twitter and the social media just ‘exploded.’ Perhaps Martians had descended, said one twitterati adding that one more thing could be added to the laundry list of a disastrous 2020.

Bengaluru please confirm, can we tick #Aliens, said a Twitter post. If it is not earthquake nor MIG 2000 test flight, then it has to be Thor visiting us from Asgard. Well his reasons for the visit is yet unknown, added another on the social media handle. Captain Marvel has arrived. That's what it was, said another creative post. The mystery was finally solved. The loud noise was the result of a routine Indian Air Force test flight, the defence ministry said late in the evening. "It was a routine IAF Test Flight involving a supersonic profile which took off from Bluru Airport and flew in the allotted airspace well outside city limits. The aircraft was of Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment," a Ministry of Defence statement said.