SINGAPORE: Police in India’s financial capital Mumbai have arrested a minor for allegedly posting online bomb threats earlier this week, India’s aviation minister said on Wednesday (Oct 16).
Indian airlines received a spate of threats to domestic and international flights on their social media pages, all of which have been false alarms.
“Such mischievous and unlawful actions are a matter of grave concern and I strongly condemn any attempts to compromise the safety, security and operational integrity of our aviation sector,” said Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, the country’s civil aviation minister, in a statement posted on Facebook.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring that every necessary measures are taken against such actions,” he added.
The minister said a minor, who was not named, had been arrested.
Local media reported that the police had detained a 17-year-old boy from Rajnandgaon city in the state of Chhattisgarh. The teen allegedly issued the threats to frame a friend who he had a financial dispute with.
According to news site NDTV, the boy had posted the threats using an account on social media platform X that bore the handle of his friend.
The boy’s father and the owner of the X account that was used were also summoned by the police for questioning, India’s Economic Times reported.
Naidu said that the boy was responsible for threats targeting three flights.
The threats posted on Monday involved two IndiGo flights – one to Muscat, Oman and another to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – and an Air India one to New York, reported the Economic Times.
“All others responsible for the disruptions will be identified and duly punished,” said Naidu.
