Bomb hoax calls made by minor pranksters, rules out conspiracy: Aviation ministry

Bomb hoax calls made by minors: Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has stated that the recent surge in bomb hoax calls targeting flights does not appear to be part of a larger conspiracy. According to initial investigations, most of the calls have been traced back to minors and pranksters, with over 25 hoax threats received in just four days.

A 17-year-old boy was taken into custody by Mumbai Police on Wednesday for making bomb threats to four flights on Monday, including three international ones. The teenager allegedly had a dispute with a friend over money and made the threats in an attempt to frame him.

Rule changes being considered, says Naidu

Minister Naidu emphasized that his department is looking into legislative changes to prevent such hoaxes in the future. “We can’t comment on a conspiracy, but based on our findings, most of these calls are from minors or pranksters who don’t fully understand the consequences of their actions,” said Naidu. “We are working on establishing stricter regulations to stop these pranks and prevent future occurrences.”

He further explained that the Ministry of Home Affairs is assisting in the investigation, and that the authorities are taking these threats seriously due to the inconvenience caused to both airlines and passengers.

Bomb threats disrupt flights

Earlier this week, multiple bomb threats led to significant flight disruptions. On Monday, four flights received threats, resulting in delays and diversions. Among them, an Air India flight from Mumbai to New York was diverted to New Delhi, and another flight had to be canceled. On Tuesday, seven flights were affected, including an Air India flight that was diverted to a remote Canadian airport. Flights from airlines such as Akasa Air, IndiGo, and SpiceJet were also targeted.

By Thursday, the number of impacted flights had surpassed 28, with an Air India flight from Mumbai to London declaring an emergency an hour before landing.

Teenager arrested for hoax call

A 17-year-old from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, was arrested for issuing Monday’s threats. The teenager, a school dropout, allegedly created a fake social media handle in his friend’s name to post bomb threats in retaliation for a personal dispute. Mumbai Police have registered multiple FIRs, and investigations are ongoing.