A 25-year-old man from Delhi has been detained for allegedly issuing fake bomb threats, marking just the second such arrest following a surge in hoax threats directed at airlines over the past week. According to Delhi Police, the suspect admitted to making the calls in an attempt to gain attention after noticing reports of similar incidents on television.

Since October 14, over 275 flights have been affected by hoax bomb threats. Last week, Mumbai Police detained a 17-year-old boy in a separate case linked to bomb threat calls affecting airlines.

The Delhi Police reported that two bomb threats were sent to Indira Gandhi International Airport via social media between Friday night and early Saturday. Investigations led authorities to Shubham Upadhyay, a resident of Rajapuri in Uttam Nagar, West Delhi. Upadhyay, who has completed up to Class 12 and is currently unemployed, reportedly confessed during questioning that he issued the threats to draw attention, influenced by similar news stories on television.

In an official statement, Delhi Police reassured the public of ongoing safety measures and urged vigilance, requesting individuals to report any suspicious behavior.

Earlier in October, a 17-year-old from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, was taken into custody by Mumbai Police for allegedly making bomb threats that affected four flights on October 14. Police believe the teenager acted to frame a friend after a dispute, using a social media account in the friend's name. The threats delayed two flights, including Air India’s Mumbai-New York flight, which was diverted to Delhi, and resulted in one flight cancellation.

Government Advisory to Social Media Platforms

On Friday, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a warning to social media companies, urging them to combat the spread of bomb threat misinformation. The Ministry highlighted that such hoaxes not only disrupt air travel but also pose risks to public safety and order, cautioning platforms of potential action if they do not uphold their responsibility to curb misinformation rapidly.