Adithya doesn't repent his acts, say cops

Serial hoax-bomb caller Adithya Rao, 37, does not repent neither planting the bomb at Mangalore International Airport (MIA) nor causing embarrassment to his family, according to senior police officers, who were privy to his interrogation.

He does not repent his acts and continues to have an aversion to airports, officers told DH.

Adithya developed an aversion to airports when officials at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) humiliated him by refusing to accept his application for the post of security guard at the airport.

Initially, KIA impressed with his educational qualification, an engineer and an MBA graduate, had directed Adithya to submit documents. Adithya confident of securing the job had returned to his home in Manipal and after spending money had succeeded in getting the required documents.

On submitting documents, he was told by officials that the post was filled up. Adithya, unable to come to terms with the rejection, had made hoax calls to Air Asia airlines and Airpot terminal manager. He was caught and sentenced to imprisonment. After serving 11 months in Chikkaballapur prison, he had begun an in-depth study into the making of explosives.

“Adithya is aware of different types of explosives and how to source components from different platforms without getting caught,’’ Commissioner
Dr P S Harsha said.

He took up the job of a billing clerk at Kudla Family Restaurant to receive the components which he had ordered online.

Once he was confident of his bomb making skills, he quit the job and took up a similar job at King’s Court Bar and Restaurant in Karkala, which is 50 km away from Mangaluru. Once the bomb was assembled on January 19, he took the first bus to Mangaluru.

In order to avoid detection, he first boarded a bus from State Bank and got down en route to the Airport. He then reached the Airport in an autorickshaw.

After planting the bomb, he walked for some distance before engaging another autorickshaw.

On why Adithya targeted MIA, Harsha said that Mangaluru was the second most familiar airport after Bengaluru to Adithya.