Mumbai, October 16: A 17-year-old boy from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, has been taken into custody by the Mumbai Police for issuing multiple bomb threats targeting airlines. Authorities revealed that the minor allegedly made these threats to frame a friend following a dispute over money.
The Investigation So Far
- Fake X Handle: The boy reportedly created a fake account on X (formerly Twitter) using the name of his friend and issued bomb threats from it to frame him.
- Interrogation: The boy and his father were summoned to Mumbai on Tuesday. While the boy has been placed in a remand home, his father is still being questioned.
- Multiple FIRs Filed: Mumbai Police registered three FIRs related to the incidents, with the first one covering threats issued on Monday.
Impact on Flights
Since Monday, at least 19 flights have been affected due to these hoax threats, including several on international routes:
- Monday: Air India flight AI 119 (Mumbai to New York) was diverted to Delhi, and other flights were delayed or canceled.
- Tuesday: Air India flight AI 127 (Delhi to Chicago) was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada. An IndiGo flight from Dammam to Lucknow made an emergency landing in Jaipur.
- Wednesday: An Akasa Air flight (Delhi to Bengaluru) was forced to return to Delhi, and an IndiGo flight (Mumbai to Delhi) was diverted to Ahmedabad. SpiceJet and other airlines also received bomb threats.
Financial and Operational Disruptions
Airline officials have emphasized the significant financial and operational impact caused by these hoax threats. Despite knowing that many threats may not be credible, aviation authorities are obligated to take them seriously, resulting in flight delays, diversions, and cancellations.
Parliamentary and Regulatory Response
- Parliamentary Meeting: The issue was discussed in a Parliamentary Standing Committee on transport, where officials confirmed they were following some critical leads and suspects had been identified.
- Government Action: Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu chaired a meeting with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and other aviation officials to review the situation.
Authorities are monitoring further developments, as additional FIRs are expected in response to the continued threats. Meanwhile, experts caution that such false alarms can strain resources and disrupt aviation operations significantly.
