A 17-year-old boy has been taken into custody by the Mumbai Police in connection with a series of bomb threats made to various airlines, causing significant disruptions in flight operations since Monday. The minor, hailing from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, allegedly aimed to frame a friend over a financial dispute, police sources revealed.
The boy was summoned by the Mumbai Police on Tuesday, and while he has been detained and is being sent to a remand home, his father remains under investigation. According to authorities, the teenager created a fake social media account on X (formerly Twitter) in the name of his friend, from which he posted the bomb threats.
The alarming series of threats began on Monday, with the boy allegedly issuing four hoax threats to airlines, three of which were international flights. Notably, Air India flight AI 119 from Mumbai to New York was diverted to New Delhi due to the threat, while another flight was ultimately canceled. In total, the police have registered three first information reports (FIRs) in response to the threats.
The situation escalated on Tuesday, with at least seven flights impacted. Among them, Air India flight AI 127 from Delhi to Chicago was diverted to Iqaluit airport in Canada, and IndiGo flight 6E 98 from Damman in Saudi Arabia to Lucknow had to make an emergency landing in Jaipur. Additional threats were also reported for Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Alliance Air.
The threats continued into Wednesday, resulting in further disturbances. A New Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight (QP 1335) had to return to the capital, while IndiGo’s Mumbai-Delhi flight 6E 651 was diverted to Ahmedabad. Additionally, five other flights received bomb threats, including two from SpiceJet.
In response to the growing concern, the Delhi Police have registered multiple FIRs related to the threats, and the matter was discussed in a Parliamentary Standing Committee meeting on transport. Sources indicated that aviation officials presented a few “critical leads” and identified potential suspects during the meeting.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also convened a meeting with departmental officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to address the situation. Senior airline officials emphasized that while hoax threats severely impact finances, they have no choice but to take them seriously for the safety of passengers and crew.
As the investigation continues, authorities are working diligently to ensure the safety and security of air travel in the region.
Sources By Agencies
