Minor held for bomb threats to flights, wanted to frame friend: Reports

A minor has been taken into custody by the Mumbai Police over a series of bomb threats being issued to various airlines since Monday, leading to some flights being diverted, including to a remote airport in Canada. The youngster reportedly made the threats in an attempt to blame an individual with whom he had a financial disagreement. The Mumbai Police had summoned the 17-year-old kid, who had dropped out of school in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, along with his father on Tuesday. According to police sources, his father is still being questioned even though he has been placed under arrest and is being sent to a detention home.

According to reports, the adolescent made a handle on X in the identity of the buddy he was at odds with and posted bomb threats from it. Three first information reports (FIRs) have been filed by the Mumbai Police, and at least 12 threats have been made, beginning with four on Monday. As a result of Monday's threats, the juvenile has been placed under arrest in relation to the initial FIR.

The hoax calls continued on Wednesday, with a New Delhi-Bengaluru Akasa Air flight (QP 1335) returning to the capital and Indigo's Mumbai-Delhi flight 6E 651 being diverted to Ahmedabad. 

According to reports, an Akasa Air flight headed for Bengaluru carrying over 180 passengers returned to the capital on Wednesday afternoon after receiving a bomb threat. Meanwhile, representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Intelligence Bureau, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) attended a high-level meeting on Wednesday. Sources claim that CISF and other agencies have begun developing a SOP to improve coordination in handling such circumstances. The BCAS has suggested adding those who make fictitious bomb calls to the no flyers list.