19 December,2015 04:54 AM IST | | Agencies
A 12-year-old Sikh boy who was kept behind the bars for three days this month for causing a bomb scare admitted to the police he only joked to a classmate about bringing a bomb in his backpack
Armaan Singh Sarai. Pic/Facebook
New York: A 12-year-old Sikh boy who was kept behind the bars for three days this month for causing a bomb scare admitted to the police he only joked to a classmate about bringing a bomb in his backpack. The boy's family, however, said he was framed.
Armaan Singh Sarai. Pic/Facebook
Arlington police Lt. Christopher Cook said another student, who has not been identified, told a teacher that Armaan Singh Sarai told him that he was planning to blow up the school.
A felony
"Specifically, according to the student, Sarai claimed to have a bomb in his backpack, wired to go off at a certain time, and that Sarai planned to leave the bomb in a school bathroom and flee," said the official.
According to the police official, during interrogation, Sarai admitted telling his classmate about bringing a bomb, but insisted he was only joking.
"Schools take bomb threats seriously, and that even joking about having a bomb at school is considered a terroristic threat - a felony," Cook added.
'Framed'
Sarai's family, however, said he was framed.
In a Facebook post, Aksh D Singh, who identified himself as Armaan's older brother, said, "My little brother Armaan... was taken from school to Kimbo Juvenile Center because he AND other students were joking about bomb threats. I know we live in a time when such an accusation is serious, but this is outrageous..."
Police said they went to Nichols Junior High School in Dallas, Texas, after a student told a teacher that Sarai told him he was planning to blow up the school.