"Windows Rattled": Another "Boom" Leaves Bengaluru Puzzled

A loud sound alarmed residents of Bengaluru this afternoon and triggered a flood of posts on social media. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has denied any role in what many suspected was a sonic boom like last year.

The sound, which many described as a loud "boom", was heard around 12.30 pm in the Karnataka capital.

Last year, a similar sound heard in large parts of Bengaluru turned out to be the sonic boom of an aircraft on a test flight.

Karnataka | A loud sound heard in many parts of Bengaluru around 1215 hours today, details awaited

— ANI (@ANI) July 2, 2021

"IAF denies any flying activity or any known action from their side to have caused any loud sound reportedly heard in Bengaluru. None of the IAF bases or Units including ASTE (Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment) was flying at that time," said a Defence spokesperson in Bengaluru.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said it could not comment on what caused the sound.

"Regular sorties of fighters and trainers take place from HAL airport. Today was no different. HAL can't comment on the loud noise reportedly heard today in Bengaluru," said HAL spokesperson Gopal Sutar.

A few residents shared on Twitter that their windows rattled because of the "boom". Twitter was flooded with theories and memes.

Windows rattled after a huge sound...what was it, one more Sonic Boom?#Bengaluru https://t.co/1eiY41O1Wq

— Varadraj Adya (@varadadya) July 2, 2021

. @cpronammametro #Blast sound heard in #Bengaluru across all areas...

Big impact area BTM, adugodi....
Any links with #NammaMetro work???

Clarify please

— ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು TrainUsers (@bengalurutrains) July 2, 2021

That was loud ....boom sound ...
Hopefully it was not my neighbor sneezing... ????????

— Bengaluru Betala (@gururaj_mj) July 2, 2021

Thought it is some sound in my road. After reading replies it seems to be heard all over Bengaluru https://t.co/mbMHEjNRwV

— Ashwin (@Winaashar) July 2, 2021

What is That Sound? #Bengaluru ????

— Vimal Kumar ❁ (@Kettavan_Freak) July 2, 2021

On May 21 last year, the aircraft took off from the Bengaluru airport on its test flight and flew in the allotted airspace well outside city limits, the Defence Ministry tweeted.

"...The sonic boom was probably heard while the aircraft was decelerating from supersonic to subsonic speed between 36,000 and 40000 feet altitude," it said.