‘I Crashed Air India Plane’: Love Rejected, Chennai Woman Techie Plots Shocking Revenge

What began as a probe into bomb threats and claims of downing an Air India plane in Ahmedabad has taken an unexpected turn—unfolding into a bizarre story of unrequited love, revenge, and cyber warfare.

Ahmedabad Police on Monday announced the arrest of Rene Joshilda, a senior consultant at a multinational firm in Chennai, for allegedly masterminding a nationwide bomb scare campaign in a calculated effort to frame a man who had rejected her romantic advances.

Obsession Turns into Orchestrated Terror

According to police, the 30-year-old accused was deeply infatuated with Divij Prabhakar, a man who did not return her feelings. “She wanted to marry him, but it was one-sided. Her world fell apart when he married someone else in February,” said Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sharad Singhal. This emotional fallout, investigators believe, drove her to craft an elaborate digital deception aimed at destroying his life.

Joshilda allegedly created multiple fake email accounts, including some under Prabhakar’s name, and used VPNs, virtual phone numbers, and even dark web tools to conceal her identity. Despite the sophistication of her methods, a critical error led cyber crime investigators to her location in Chennai.

Engineer, Deloitte Consultant, and Cyber Saboteur

Trained in robotics and employed by Deloitte since 2022, Joshilda is accused of sending dozens of hoax bomb threat emails to prominent institutions. Targets included the Narendra Modi Stadium, BJ Medical College, and several schools in Ahmedabad.

Beyond Gujarat, threat emails were also sent to locations in Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana—often strategically timed around major events or VIP visits.

One chilling message read:
“Bomb successfully planted in Narendra Modi Stadium. Save the stadium if you can.”

Another message referenced the tragic June 12 Air India crash in Ahmedabad:
“Like we sent you mail yesterday—we crashed the Air India plane with our former CM… Now you know we are not playing.”

Authorities clarified that no such attack occurred and the crash was unrelated to any malicious activity.

Case That Sparked the Investigation

The investigation began after a June 3 threat email sent to a school in Ahmedabad, which led to an FIR at Sarkhej police station. The message bizarrely claimed the bombing was an attempt to draw attention to a 2023 rape case in Hyderabad.
“Going to blast the bomb in your school to bring police attention about the rapist who raped the girl in Lemon Tree Hotel in Hyderabad in 2023,” the email read.

Widespread Threat Campaign

Joshilda allegedly sent:

• 13 threat mails to Narendra Modi Stadium

• 4 to Geneva Liberal School

• 3 to Divya Jyoti School

• 1 to BJ Medical College

“In total, she targeted institutions across 12 states,” said Singhal. “She was technically skilled and very cautious. But one mistake in her digital trail helped us track her down.”

He added that cybercrime teams across India collaborated to locate and apprehend her, calling the arrest a breakthrough in stopping a “major panic-inducing operation.”

Personal Revenge with National Consequences

Investigators say Joshilda’s actions stemmed from a deeply personal motive but resulted in widespread disruption, fear, and a major law enforcement mobilization. Her technical expertise, misused for emotional revenge, triggered a nationwide bomb scare — one that police say could have led to tragic consequences had the threats been real.

“This is a rare case where personal heartbreak turned into a calculated national security hoax,” police said.