Boy arrested in bomb hoax case alleges sexual assault at Mumbai children’s home | Latest news India

A 17-year-old boy arrested in connection with robbery bomb threats has alleged he was sexually assaulted by an inmate at a children’s home in south Mumbai, police said Tuesday.

The teenager, a Class 11 student, was apprehended in Chhattisgarh last week after allegedly posting bomb hoax threats on social media targeting three international flights on October 14.

Based on the boy’s complaint of sexual assault, the Dongri police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act and initiated investigation, an official said .

Authorities have questioned inmates at Dongri Children’s Home and have not provided any information about the assault so far, he said, adding that the teenager’s medical report also did not indicate of aggression.

According to authorities, the boy had previously made allegations of sexual assault twice in Chhattisgarh, and his claims were found to be false.

The boy, in his complaint, alleged that a 16-year-old inmate sexually assaulted him in the dormitory Monday morning, the official said.

He was taken to JJ Government Hospital for treatment, and the medical report confirmed that there were no injuries to his private parts, he said.

The official said the boy appeared to be making false allegations and action would be taken accordingly.

The teenager is accused of posting bomb threat messages to Air India and IndiGo on an X handle, disrupting three international flights on October 14, he said.

Increase in bomb threats on flights

Nearly 100 flights were the subject of bomb threats in a week, of which at least 8 were diverted, also causing difficulties for hundreds of passengers and plunging security agencies into a daze.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is considering changes to aircraft safety rules as well as SUASCA. Currently, aeronautical standards mainly concern the handling of in-flight violations.