17-year-old from Chhattisgarh made hoax bomb threats to flights to settle scores, says police
The Mumbai Police, investigating the recent hoax bomb threats to more than a dozen Indian flights, have detained a 17-year-old boy from Chhattisgarh and his father in connection with the incident. According to the police, the boy, a resident of Rajnandgaon, was identified after the Cyber Cell collected electronic data on the origin of the threats.??
Suspect arrested
Police said that the teenager allegedly created a handle on X in the name of a shopkeeper with whom he had a financial dispute, in an attempt to frame him.??
The boy has been produced before the Juvenile Justice Board in Mumbai and remanded in custody for four days. His father is also being interrogated, though the police clarified that the boy was not behind the threats issued to flights on Tuesday and Wednesday.??
19 flights get bomb threats in three days
In the past three days, starting from Monday, a total of 19 flights, all operated by Indian air carriers, including some flying on international routes, received bomb threats through social media.??
On Monday, a bomb threat was posted on X for an Air India Mumbai-New York flight and IndiGo's Mumbai-Muscat and Mumbai-Jeddah flights.??
At least seven flights received similar bomb threats on Tuesday, including Air India flight AI 127 from Delhi to Chicago, which had to be diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada.??
Another seven flights received bomb threats on Wednesday, resulting in delays, diversions, and mid-way returns.??
'Legal action against those behind'
Taking note of the situation, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said that law enforcement agencies are actively pursuing all cases of bomb threats against airlines.??
He also stated that legal action would be taken against those responsible.??
"All others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly prosecuted," Naidu said.
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