Hoax threats: suspect surrenders before Nagpur Police

A 35-year-old man who was allegedly behind a series of hoax bomb threats to airports and railway stations across the country has been arrested after he presented himself before Nagpur Police, an official said on Friday.

Jagdish Shriam Uikey, a resident of Arjuni Morgaon in Gondia district of eastern Maharashtra, arrived in Nagpur by flight after the city police sent him a notice seeking his presence for the investigation, and surrendered on Thursday evening, he said.

In the 13 days leading up to 26 October, more than 300 flights operated by Indian carriers received hoax bomb threats. Most of the threats were issued through social media. On 22 October alone, around 50 flights, including 13 each from IndiGo and Air India, received threats.

Uikey operated from Delhi, the police official said. An email allegedly sent by him to Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and railway police authorities on 21 October had led to increased security measures at railway stations too.

In 2021, he allegedly made a phone call reporting a hoax bomb threat and was later arrested. After being released, he moved out of Arjuni Morgaon and told close friends that he had moved to Delhi, the official said.

The investigators, led by deputy commissioner of police Shweta Khedkar, zeroed in on him based on the emails he had sent to various establishments. Uikey has studied up to class 11 and written a book on terrorism titled Aaatankwad - Ek Tufaani Rakshas.

Further investigations are on, the official said.