Man Behind Series of Hoax Bomb Threats to Airlines Arrested by Nagpur Police

Mumbai: A 35-year-old man from Gondia in Maharashtra's Nagpur has been arrested after he was identified as the person behind a spate of hoax bomb threats that triggered panic, caused flight delays and led to increased security at airports and other establishments.

The special branch of Nagpur city police has named the man as Jagdish Uikey, an author of a book on terrorism who had been previously arrested in 2021. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Shweta Khedkar led the investigation, which connected Uikey to multiple emails linked to the threats.

As per the official, Uikey sent emails to various government bodies, including the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Railway Minister, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy, airline offices, the Director General of Police (DGP) and the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Earlier on Monday, the Nagpur police stepped up security outside Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis 's residence in the city after Uikey sent an email threatening to protest unless given a chance to present his information on the secret terror code he claimed to have deciphered. He also requested a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss his knowledge of terror threats, he added.

Uikey's email, sent on October 21 to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and later forwarded to the DGP and RPF, led to heightened security at railway stations, officials said.

"A special team has been formed to arrest Uikey," he said, adding that he will be apprehended him soon.

Between October 13 and 26, Indian carriers reported over 300 hoax bomb threats, with most of these threats issued on social media, according to government agencies. On October 22 alone, approximately 50 flights, including 13 each from IndiGo and Air India , received bomb threats, sources indicated.