13-Yr-Old Meerut Boy 'Orchestrated IGI Airport Bomb Hoax For Fun', Detained

During questioning, the boy revealed that he got the idea of sending the false threat from some news reports about another bomb hoax regarding a flight at Mumbai airport.

IGI Airport received an email stating that there was a bomb on an Air Canada flight which was scheduled to depart for Toronto. ( Image Source :Wikimedia Commons )

A 13-year-old Meerut boy has been identified as the source of a false bomb threat, sent by email, regarding an Air Canada flight from IGI Airport to Toronto. According to an IANS report, the teenager sent the mail “just for fun”, and to see whether he could be traced. The boy was detained but later handed over to his parents. 

On June 4, at 10.50 pm, the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) office at IGI Airport received an email stating that there was a bomb aboard an Air Canada flight that was scheduled to depart for Toronto. The authorities followed the security protocol, and conducted a thorough inspection, but found nothing suspicious in the aircraft. 

Following an investigation into the email, it was found that the ID had been created just a few hours before the mail was sent. The ID was subsequently traced to Meerut in Uttar Pradesh (UP), Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani said.

During questioning, the boy revealed that he got the idea of sending the false threat from some news reports about another bomb hoax regarding a flight at Mumbai airport. According to the DCP, the teen wanted to know whether he could be traced by the police if he attempted a similar antic. He created a new email ID on his mobile phone, and, using his mother's WiFi connection, sent the mail, reported IANS. 

The teen then immediately deleted the ID. The following day, he reportedly told police, he saw news about the "bomb threat" and "felt very excited". But he didn’t share the information with his parents out of fear, the DCP said. The 13-year-old was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) and, on the basis of its order, handed over to his parents, the IANS report said.

The DCP requested citizens to refrain from making hoax calls for “amusement or without understanding the consequences”, as this can attract grave penal sections and lead to imprisonment.