17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights

A 17-year-old boy from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, has been arrested for making bomb threats against 19 flights in the past three days. The threats, which turned out to be false, caused significant disruptions to Indian flight services. The boy is believed to have issued the threats to frame a friend with whom he had a financial dispute.

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17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights

17-year-old boy arrested for bomb threats

A 17-year-old boy from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, has been placed in a remand home for four days after being linked to four bomb threats made against airlines in the past three days. Authorities report that the minor aimed to frame a friend by creating a fake account on X (formerly Twitter) in his name. Over the last few days, nearly 19 Indian flight services have faced disruptions due to these threats, all of which turned out to be false.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu stated that law enforcement agencies are actively investigating these incidents, and the government is considering stricter penalties for individuals responsible for false threats, including potential no-fly lists.

On Wednesday, the Mumbai Police apprehended the teenager and his father while investigating the matter. It appears that the boy issued the threats as part of a scheme to implicate a friend with whom he had a financial dispute. The police indicated that he had previously operated a mobile shop with this individual and suffered significant financial losses.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights  The minor is reportedly involved in a financial disagreement worth around Rs 3 lakh and has filed a sexual assault case against the man under the POCSO Act. According to preliminary investigations, the boy allegedly sent the hoax messages as retaliation against this friend. The threats included those targeting an Air India flight (AI 119) from Mumbai to New York, which was diverted to New Delhi.

Authorities have mentioned that some of the threats may have originated from abroad but have not disclosed the specific countries involved.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights The bomb threats started on Monday, October 14, and continued until yesterday, October 16. Officials reported that a total of 19 flights, both domestic and international, received bomb threats, all of which were ultimately determined to be false.

On Monday, three flights were targeted: Air India’s flight from Mumbai to New York, IndiGo’s flights from Mumbai to Jeddah, and Mumbai to Muscat. Air India officials noted that flight AI-119 received a specific security alert, leading to its diversion to Delhi as per government safety protocols. Passengers were accommodated in hotels following security checks, and the flight was rescheduled for Tuesday morning.

IndiGo’s flight 6E 57, en route from Mumbai to Jeddah, faced an 11-hour delay due to a bomb threat. Similarly, flight 6E 1275 from Mumbai to Muscat also received a threat and was taken to an isolated area for inspections, departing around 9:15 AM after a delay of approximately seven hours.

On Tuesday, threats continued with another seven flights impacted, including Air India Express from Jaipur to Bengaluru (via Ayodhya), SpiceJet from Darbhanga to Mumbai, Akasa Air from Bagdogra to Bengaluru, Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago, IndiGo flight from Dammam to Lucknow, and Alliance Air’s Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi service.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights  Officials revealed that the threats on Tuesday originated from a single X account, @schizobomber777, which has since been suspended. One of the threats warned, “I placed bombs onboard of Flight IX765. The bombs will go off very soon. Blood will spread everywhere. Hurry up and evacuate, you don’t have much time left.” Another stated, “There are explosives onboard Flight SG116. The bombs will go off soon. You will all die. Down the plane quickly before it’s too late.”

On Wednesday, threats persisted, affecting seven more flights, including four from IndiGo, two from SpiceJet, and one from Akasa Air. The Akasa Air flight, carrying 184 people, returned to Delhi after receiving a bomb threat. An airline spokesperson confirmed that flight QP 1335 from Delhi to Bengaluru received a security alert, prompting the return.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights  Officials emphasize that hoax calls and messages cause not only psychological distress but also substantial economic repercussions.

When a threat is identified, it sets off a complex series of reactions that disrupts the entire aviation system. The flight crew alerts the pilot, who then communicates with the air traffic controller (ATC). The ATC informs the airport authorities, who dispatch security personnel, including bomb disposal teams and sniffer dogs.

The affected aircraft is moved to an isolated area where all passengers and their luggage undergo rigorous screening. This procedure takes at least three hours, creating inconvenience and significant anxiety for both passengers and crew.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights  Additionally, delays from one flight can lead to a domino effect. For instance, if a plane is scheduled to operate six flights in a day, a delay caused by a bomb threat on the first leg will consequently delay the following five flights. With each flight typically carrying around 200 passengers, this can impact approximately 1,200 individuals.

Such delays compel airlines to compensate affected passengers, provide refreshments, arrange hotel accommodations, or even reschedule flights, resulting in considerable financial losses for the airlines.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights  A minor has been taken into custody by the Mumbai Police following a series of bomb threats made against various airlines since Monday, which resulted in some flights being diverted, including one to a remote airport in Canada. Authorities reported that the threats were allegedly made by the boy in an attempt to frame a friend with whom he had a financial dispute.

The 17-year-old, a school dropout from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, and his father were summoned by the Mumbai Police on Tuesday. While the teenager has been taken into custody and sent to a remand home, his father is still being questioned. The boy reportedly created a fake account on X (formerly Twitter) using the name of his friend and posted the bomb threats from it.

A total of 19 threats have been recorded, starting with four on Monday, prompting the Mumbai Police to file three first information reports (FIRs). The teen is currently in custody related to the first FIR concerning the threats made on Monday. On that day, he issued hoax threats against four flights, three of which were international. Two of those flights were delayed, including Air India flight AI 119 from Mumbai to New York, which was diverted to New Delhi, while one flight had to be canceled.

17-year-old arrested for bomb threats against 19 flights  On Tuesday, seven additional flights were affected, including Air India flight AI 127 from Delhi to Chicago, which was diverted to Iqaluit airport in Canada. IndiGo flight 6E 98 from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, made an emergency landing in Jaipur, and threats were also reported for Air India Express, Akasa Air, and Alliance Air.

The threats on Tuesday originated from an X account that began posting in the afternoon. The hoax calls continued on Wednesday, impacting a New Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight (QP 1335), which returned to Delhi, and IndiGo’s Mumbai-Delhi flight 6E 651, which was diverted to Ahmedabad. Five other flights received bomb threats, including two from SpiceJet. The Delhi Police has registered several FIRs in connection with the threats, which were discussed in a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport on Wednesday.

Sources indicated that aviation officials informed the MPs that they have identified some “critical leads” and suspects related to the case. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu also held a meeting with officials from his department and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Senior airline officials told while hoax calls severely impact finances, they have no choice but to take them seriously.