Female Engineer Who Claimed Responsibility for India Air Crash – Latest News

By DocuNews Central — In a case that has shocked both India and the international aviation community, new revelations continue to emerge about Rene Joshilda, the 30-year-old female engineer from Chennai who claimed responsibility for the Air India Flight AI171 crash. The disturbing story has drawn attention not only for its bizarre nature but also for its tragic intersection of love, technology, and national panic.

According to credible reports from NDTV, Hindustan Times, and India Today, Rene Joshilda was arrested after she sent multiple hoax bomb threats across India and emailed a chilling message claiming, “We crashed the Air India plane.” The message was sent shortly after the tragic incident that killed several passengers in Ahmedabad earlier in June 2025.

What Really Happened in the Air India Crash

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 aircraft, crashed near Ahmedabad, India. The accident claimed many lives and left investigators scrambling for answers. Early reports suggested possible pilot error, a mechanical malfunction, or even intentional sabotage. The tragedy shook the nation and prompted widespread grief.

However, days after the crash, a shocking twist emerged when authorities received a series of threatening emails. One of them read: “We crashed the Air India plane. This is only the beginning.” The message appeared to be part of a wider pattern of cyber threats that had been spreading across multiple states in India.

Initially, investigators believed the emails were linked to a terrorist group or a coordinated cyber-attack. But as the investigation progressed, it pointed to an unexpected source — a young, educated woman working as a robotics engineer in Chennai.

Who Is Rene Joshilda?

Rene Joshilda, 30, is a highly educated professional with a degree in robotics and engineering. She had been working as a senior consultant at Deloitte since 2022. Described by her colleagues as quiet and intelligent, she led a life that appeared stable and successful on the surface. However, beneath that calm exterior, investigators say, was a growing obsession with a former colleague named Divij Prabhakar.

According to The Economic Times, Joshilda fell in love with Divij during their time working together. When he later got married to someone else, she allegedly became consumed by anger and heartbreak. Her emotions spiraled into a dangerous obsession that led her to frame him in a series of hoax bomb threats across at least 11 Indian states.

A Web of Lies and Hoax Threats

Investigators discovered that between May and June 2025, Joshilda created dozens of fake email accounts and virtual phone numbers. Using VPNs and dark web tools, she sent hundreds of messages threatening schools, hospitals, and government offices. Many of these threats were signed using the name of her ex-colleague, Divij, in an effort to frame him as a terrorist.

According to The Times of India, the turning point came when one of her emails reached BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad. The subject line read, “We crashed the Air India plane.” This was the message that drew the attention of cybercrime units and aviation authorities alike.

At first, police treated the message as a possible confession from an insider connected to the aviation disaster. But after tracing digital footprints, they uncovered the shocking truth: the sender was not part of a terror cell or an extremist group — she was a corporate engineer seeking revenge.

How the Police Tracked Her Down

The cybercrime unit in Chennai worked with the Indian Cyber Coordination Centre and multiple state police departments to trace the source of the emails. Despite her attempts to conceal her identity, investigators discovered that one of her VPN connections briefly disconnected during a message transmission, exposing her real IP address. That mistake led directly to her residence in Chennai.

Authorities seized her laptop, mobile devices, and storage drives. Forensic analysis confirmed that she had drafted, edited, and sent the threatening emails herself. The data also revealed that she had searched terms such as “how to fake a terror attack” and “how to send anonymous bomb threats.”

Rene Joshilda’s Arrest and Confession

Once arrested, Rene Joshilda allegedly confessed that she fabricated the threats out of emotional distress. She admitted to claiming responsibility for the Air India crash to get attention and to frame Divij Prabhakar as part of a revenge plot. Investigators emphasized that her claim of having caused the crash was entirely false. The aviation accident is still under independent investigation and has not been linked to any cyber-attack or bomb threat.

Police sources told Mathrubhumi English that she showed no remorse initially but later broke down in tears during questioning. Her case has raised critical questions about mental health, workplace relationships, and the potential misuse of technology.

Legal Charges and Consequences

Rene Joshilda faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. These include criminal intimidation, public mischief, and spreading false information with intent to cause panic. Each of these charges carries serious penalties, including prison time.

Her actions caused massive disruptions. Schools and offices were evacuated, airports increased security checks, and several flights were delayed. The cost of responding to her hoax threats ran into millions of rupees. According to authorities, she also damaged India’s cyber security reputation, prompting the government to tighten email verification and cyber threat reporting protocols.

The Ongoing Air India Crash Investigation

Meanwhile, the Air India crash investigation continues separately. Aviation experts, including retired pilots and engineers, are examining the black box data. Reports from NDTV indicate that investigators are exploring all possibilities, including a potential pilot suicide angle, though this remains unconfirmed.

Officials have clarified that no evidence so far connects the crash to Rene Joshilda or her emails. Her claim was a part of her hoax and has been dismissed as a false confession. Nonetheless, the case remains a grim reminder of how misinformation and emotional instability can amplify the impact of real tragedies.

Public Reactions and Media Coverage

The story has dominated headlines across India, sparking public debate over the pressures of modern relationships, social media behavior, and cyber ethics. Many people have expressed sympathy for Joshilda’s emotional struggles but have also condemned her actions as reckless and dangerous.

Several media outlets including Storyboard18 and Hindustan Times have analyzed how the combination of unrequited love and advanced technical skills can lead to catastrophic decisions when not kept in check.

Cybercrime and Emotional Breakdown: A Modern Warning

This case underscores how emotional instability, when combined with access to technology, can turn a personal vendetta into a national crisis. Experts have urged for better monitoring of mental health in corporate environments, particularly for young professionals working under high pressure.

Psychologists suggest that the situation highlights a broader social issue — the need for emotional resilience and responsible digital behavior. As India Today reported, Joshilda’s actions were not driven by ideology or greed but by heartbreak, which escalated into a cybercrime spree that alarmed an entire nation.

What Happens Next

Rene Joshilda remains in judicial custody as police continue their investigation. Authorities are expected to submit a detailed charge sheet soon. Legal experts believe she may face a long prison sentence given the scale of her actions and the nationwide panic they caused.

Meanwhile, aviation authorities continue to analyze data from Flight AI171’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. Their findings will determine whether the crash was due to a mechanical fault, human error, or deliberate action by someone in the cockpit.

Conclusion

The story of Rene Joshilda is one of emotional turmoil, technological misuse, and the thin line between love and obsession. While her claims about the Air India crash have been proven false, her case stands as a stark reminder of how personal pain can spiral into national chaos when mixed with digital tools and intent for revenge.

As India grapples with both the aftermath of the Air India tragedy and the shock of Joshilda’s cyber hoaxes, one lesson stands clear: technology can empower us — but without emotional discipline, it can also destroy lives.

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