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Lovesick bomb hoaxer wanted to shut down Jet Airways
A passenger alleged to have made a hoax bomb threat against Jet Airways, had a grudge against the airline, investigators said, and it’s all part of a stranger than fiction plot to win back a girl.
Birju Salla left a written bomb threat on a flight claiming there were a group of hijackers also aboard.
Flight 9W 339 landed safely in Ahmedabad and Salla was detained as he was reportedly the last person seen in the bathroom before the threat was found by cabin crew.
It turns out that was not the first time he had ’caused mischief’ with the carrier.
During an earlier trip he brought a cockroach aboard a flight and then claimed to find it in his food, officials said.
He was caught out then of being dishonest and let off with a warning by authorities.
Now after the latest incident, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju has asked the airline to formally put Salla on the no-fly list.
He remains in police custody and may face hijacking and terrorism charges after further inquiries by the National Investigation Agency, although one police investigator described him as being of ‘unsafe mind.’
He could face life in prison if found guilty.
Salla is a frequent flyerwith the airline and usually travels in business class.
Bizarrely, investigators said it was all a madcap ruse by lovelorn Salla to damage the airline sufficiently that it would have to close down.
Then, his girlfriend who works for the airline in Delhi, would be forced to return to him in Mumbai.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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