Mumbai: The Mumbai Police have apprehended a minor boy in connection with a series of bomb threats made to various airlines, which resulted in significant flight diversions, including an Indian Airlines jet landing at a remote airport in Canada.
Reports indicate that the 17-year-old suspect, a school dropout from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, aimed to frame a friend with whom he had a financial dispute. The police summoned both the minor and his father for questioning on Tuesday.
According to police sources, the teenager created a social media account impersonating his friend and used it to post bomb threats. A total of 19 threats were reported, with four occurring on Monday alone. The Mumbai Police have filed three first information reports (FIRs) related to the incidents.
Currently in custody, the minor is being held in a remand home, while his father remains under investigation. The initial FIR pertains to the threats issued on Monday, which led to the grounding of at least 10 flights within a 48-hour period.
Among the affected flights was an Air India service from New Delhi to Chicago, which was diverted to Iqaluit Airport in Canada due to a hoax threat. Additional flights affected include the Air India Delhi-Chicago route, a Dammam-Lucknow IndiGo flight, an Ayodhya-Bengaluru Air India Express flight, and several others, all receiving similar bomb threats on Tuesday.
The swift action by the Mumbai Police highlights ongoing efforts to address such security threats and ensure passenger safety.
