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 threats were allegedly issued because the boy wanted to frame one of his friends with whom he had a dispute over money. 

The 17-year-old boy, a school dropout from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh, and his father had been summoned by the Mumbai Police on Tuesday. While he has been taken into custody and is being taken to a remand home, his father is still being questioned, police sources said. The teenager allegedly created a handle on X in the name of the friend with whom he had a dispute and posted bomb threats from it.

At least 12 threats had been issued, starting with four on Monday, and the Mumbai Police has registered three first information reports (FIRs). The teenager has currently been taken into custody in connection with the first FIR, which is about Monday’s threats. 

Police said that, on Monday, the boy had issued hoax threats to four flights, three of which were international flights. Of these, two were delayed, including Air India flight AI 119 from Mumbai to New York, which was diverted to New Delhi, and one had to be cancelled.

At least seven flights were impacted on Tuesday, including Air India flight AI 127 from Delhi to Chicago, which was diverted to the Iqaluit airport in Canada. IndiGo flight 6E 98 from Damman in Saudi Arabia to Lucknow made an emergency landing in Jaipur and threats were received by Air India Express, Akasa Air and Alliance Air as well. 

Tuesday’s threats were issued from an X handle which began posting on the social media platform in the afternoon.

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. 

A helicopter with Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and additional Chief Election Officer of Uttarakhand Vijay Kumar Jogdande on board made an emergency landing in a village near Munsyari in Pithoragarh district today. All the passengers are safe.

The chopper was on its way to Milam Glacier but had to land on a helipad in Ralam village, 42 km away, due to cloudy weather and low visibility.

The village is around 200 km away from the district headquarters.

The Chief Election Commissioner, his personal security officer and Mr Jogdande have taken shelter in a house.

The administration has sent three separate rescue teams from Lilam, Pato and Milam. The teams, who are trekking to the location due to lack of roads, are expected to reach the village by 10 pm.

Officials said Mr Kumar and others are expected to be rescued by 10 am tomorrow.
 

A group facing allegations of sexual abuse carried out crimes even after a crackdown, say authorities. 

​A group facing allegations of sexual abuse carried out crimes even after a crackdown, say authorities.