Thirteen-year-old detained for bomb hoax targeting Delhi-Toronto flight

Mumbai: Police apprehended a thirteen-year-old boy for sending an email containing a bomb hoax targeting a flight from Delhi to Toronto. The boy was reportedly motivated by news reports of similar hoaxes in Delhi.

Late on June 4, the airport was placed under high surveillance after Indira Gandhi International Airport’s police received a PCR call about an email containing a bomb threat directed at Air Canada Flight AC043. A thorough search confirmed the threat was a hoax. An FIR was filed under Indian Penal Code sections 182 (providing false information to cause a public servant to misuse their power) and 505(1)B (circulating statements or rumors to incite fear or alarm) against an unknown person, The Indian Express reported.

The investigation found that the email originated from an ID that had been created just two hours before and was deleted soon after the email was sent. Further examination led authorities to trace the email to Meerut, where they apprehended the 13-year-old boy. During questioning, the boy admitted that he was inspired by media reports about a hoax bomb call at Mumbai Airport. Intrigued, he wanted to see if he would be caught for making a similar hoax call, said DCP Usha Rangnani.

The boy used his mother’s mobile data via WiFi to send the email and subsequently deleted the email ID. The police seized two mobile phones connected to the email. The juvenile was presented before the Juvenile Justice Board and subsequently handed over to his parents as per the board’s order.