[VIDEO] IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack – did Netflix series makers ‘hide’ terrorist identity? Govt document confirms aliases

[The Bald Eagle]

The Netflix docuseries IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, directed by Anubhav Sinha, is facing criticism from social media users over its portrayal of the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814. The series, based on real events, dramatises the hijacking by the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.

The controversy stems from the decision to use aliases such as ‘Bhola’ and ‘Shankar’ for the terrorists involved, rather than their real names.

In response to the backlash, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting summoned a Netflix content head on Monday.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack – What BJP, netizens said?

BJP leader Amit Malviya took to X to express discontent with Anubhav Sinha using the aliases over the real names of the terrorists. “The hijackers of IC-814 were dreaded terrorists, who acquired aliases to hide their Muslim identities. Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, legitimised their criminal intent, by furthering their non-Muslim names. Result? Decades later, people will think Hindus hijacked IC-814," the BJP leader wrote.

Using hashtags #BoycottNetflix, #BoycottBollywood and #IC814, many X users shared posts claiming the makers changed the names of the hijackers to 'Shankar' and 'Bhola' to allegedly protect the terrorists who belonged to a certain community.

What does Indian govt document confirm?

The Union home minister's statement, published on January 6, 2006, confirms the aliases used by the terrorists. “To the passengers of the hijacked place these hijackers came to be known respectively as (1) Chief, (2) Doctor, (3) Burger, (4) Bhola and (5) Shankar, the names by which the hijackers invariably addressed one another," the press release read.

The MEA statement confirmed the aliases of the Pakistan-based terrorists who hijacked the IC 814 flight travelling from Kathmandu to Delhi

What do we know about IC 814: The Kandahar hijack?

On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight 814, an Airbus A300 en route from Kathmandu to Delhi, was hijacked by five masked men shortly after entering Indian airspace. The aircraft was diverted to Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai, and finally to Kandahar in Afghanistan, which was under Taliban control.

In Dubai, the hijackers released 27 passengers but fatally injured one and wounded several others. The Taliban surrounded the plane to prevent an Indian military intervention, while ISI officers were found on the ground, indicating possible Pakistani support. Then chief negotiator Ajit Doval had confirmed this arrangement after he and his team landed in Afghanistan's Kandahar.

The hijacking aimed to secure the release of three Pakistani terrorists—Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Masood Azhar, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar. After a seven-day standoff, India agreed to release the terrorists, who have since been linked to various other terrorist attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack series

IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack features a stellar cast, including Vijay Varma, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, and Patralekhaa. The series draws inspiration from Flight Into Fear: The Captain's Story, a book co-authored by Devi Sharan, the captain of the hijacked flight, and journalist Srinjoy Chowdhury.

Source: live Mint

 

[The Bald Eagle]

A failed series that fell on its face. India already is at daggers end with Taliban and such things won't help them

 

[JaDed]

A failed series that fell on its face. India already is at daggers end with Taliban and such things won't help them

Who has suffered more due to Taliban India or Pak?
India has always made anti-Taliban stuff doesn’t matter, Taliban will bow to highest bidder.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

this was a tough situation for India.

Jaswant Singh got flack afterwards but I think the government handled the situation as best as they could.

We had decent politicians back then in India ( Pakistan had the same idiots) but I think these events hardened India so now we have a BJP of Modi and Yogi type rather than Vajpayee and Jaswant Singh.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

this was a tough situation for India.

Jaswant Singh got flack afterwards but I think the government handled the situation as best as they could.

We had decent politicians back then in India ( Pakistan had the same idiots) but I think these events hardened India so now we have a BJP of Modi and Yogi type rather than Vajpayee and Jaswant Singh.

Jaswant Singh did a great job there but how cruel that BJP maligned his legacy

 

[Major]

A failed series that fell on its face. India already is at daggers end with Taliban and such things won't help them

Why should India look to appease a terrorist group?

 

[RexRex]

The Pakistan government at the time refused to help India, they said the hijacking was staged by RAW to discredit Musharaff's newly established regime lol.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

The Pakistan government at the time refused to help India, they said the hijacking was staged by RAW to discredit Musharaff's newly established regime lol.

UAE also refused to help and Taliban pulled a number on them.

I think India even called the Americans but the line was busy.

 

[JaDed]

UAE also refused to help and Taliban pulled a number on them.

I think India even called the Americans but the line was busy.

Yes, and so India knows no one comes to help.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Yes, and so India knows no one comes to help.

Yeah, I think it hardened Indian politicians and policies for sure.

Anyway Im not a fan of netflix making dramas of these incidents. They will need to add some masala but it was innocent peoples lives that were at stake and nothing that needs dramatized.

 

[Local.Dada]

A failed series that fell on its face. India already is at daggers end with Taliban and such things won't help them

There is Pakistan between India and Taliban regime and from what I hear and read even from Pak media, they don’t seem to like Pakistan either. That should be a bigger concern not some 2 bit ott series no one will watch.

 

[Vikram1989]

this was a tough situation for India.

Jaswant Singh got flack afterwards

A bjp politician later said media channels such as NDTV and others put quite a drama saying govt have to save people's life and govt have to release the terrorists. Once govt did that, ndtv started that govt was chickened out and they don't have stomach for tough situations. As it was bjp's first time in ruling , they got in to trouble with out much strategic framework to deal with such incidents and media .Letting the flight out of india was the biggest mistake

 

[Bhaijaan]

For years, we in Bharat were conditioned to not speak openly against Muslims for all the wrong things they have done over the years against our country. Only recently has the BJP empowered Bharatiya Hindus to speak openly without any fear. If we don’t speak now, there is no future for us, and Hinduism will be wiped out from this world just like many other old religions of the world from the relentless onslaught from Christianity and Islamists.

 

[Champ_Pal]

For years, we in Bharat were conditioned to not speak openly against Muslims for all the wrong things they have done over the years against our country. Only recently has the BJP empowered Bharatiya Hindus to speak openly without any fear. If we don’t speak now, there is no future for us, and Hinduism will be wiped out from this world just like many other old religions of the world from the relentless onslaught from Christianity and Islamists.

Leftist media always painted Muslims as victims. Even after partition and all the killings, the leftie media and school curriculum only blamed British while glorifying Mughals.
Even in our childhood, we were always taught that only British is the enemy. Brits used cartridges made from beef and pork and both Hindus and Muslims united against an oppressive British. Poor Christian friends were confused. Should they be happy that Hindus and Muslims united against Brits or they should be sad that the people who spread Christianity in India and showed them the true path are made out to be villains.

 

[BouncerGuy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1830927546852200816

 

[FearlessRoar]

I will watch this movie tonight, because making its controversy surface on social media

 

[deltexas]

For years, we in Bharat were conditioned to not speak openly against Muslims for all the wrong things they have done over the years against our country. Only recently has the BJP empowered Bharatiya Hindus to speak openly without any fear. If we don’t speak now, there is no future for us, and Hinduism will be wiped out from this world just like many other old religions of the world from the relentless onslaught from Christianity and Islamists.

For a long time Ind media referred pak as
"padosi mulk" and islamists as " kuch bhatke huey log " lol ! That's why I believe the laws should be equal for all - and no Muslim appeasement or any appeasement nonsense.

 

[Bhaijaan]

For a long time Ind media referred pak as
"padosi mulk" and islamists as " kuch bhatke huey log " lol ! That's why I believe the laws should be equal for all - and no Muslim appeasement or any appeasement nonsense.

It’s mind boggling how we were conditioned to stay silent and let them grow back to a point they could wipe us out. The leaders of this nation for decades did not at all care about the future of Hinduism and the imminent threat to its existence from the very so called minority residents of this country.

We are literally the only country in the world which was happily digging its own major religion’s grace for decades.

Amazing how all these people over the years got away with hurling insults at Hinduism. The jokes, the insults had reduced our religion to irrelevance.

 

[Stewie]

For years, we in Bharat were conditioned to not speak openly against Muslims for all the wrong things they have done over the years against our country. Only recently has the BJP empowered Bharatiya Hindus to speak openly without any fear. If we don’t speak now, there is no future for us, and Hinduism will be wiped out from this world just like many other old religions of the world from the relentless onslaught from Christianity and Islamists.

Your fear is irrational. It is very easy to blame your own personal flaws, perhaps even inferiority complex on others. There is no way anybody could "wipe out" over a billion Hindus of India just like that or even gradually over time by less than 300 million Muslims of India. That fear is misplaced.

I think the real reason for your insecurity is perhaps in low self esteem and belief of Hindus in their own faith, if I may be so bold to voice it. We see it here on this board all the time as well. For every 2-3 Hindutva supporting guys or Hindus strongly identifying with their faith, there is always at least one atheist lurking around the corner who cackles and laughs at religious concepts.

Maybe even those who were religious Hindus were also less and less identifying with their religion. The problem was perhaps more internal than you are externalizing it.

Lately there is an upsurge in the religious zest of Hindus, which is a sign they identified their real problem and put up note just a united front against the alleged Muslim threat, but they also re-devised the Santana Dharma concept, and aligned all other minorities in the country against Muslims in India.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Your fear is irrational. It is very easy to blame your own personal flaws, perhaps even inferiority complex on others. There is no way anybody could "wipe out" over a billion Hindus of India just like that or even gradually over time by less than 300 million Muslims of India. That fear is misplaced.

I think the real reason for your insecurity is perhaps in low self esteem and belief of Hindus in their own faith, if I may be so bold to voice it. We see it here on this board all the time as well. For every 2-3 Hindutva supporting guys or Hindus strongly identifying with their faith, there is always at least one atheist lurking around the corner who cackles and laughs at religious concepts.

Maybe even those who were religious Hindus were also less and less identifying with their religion. The problem was perhaps more internal than you are externalizing it.

Lately there is an upsurge in the religious zest of Hindus, which is a sign they identified their real problem and put up note just a united front against the alleged Muslim threat, but they also re-devised the Santana Dharma concept, and aligned all other minorities in the country against Muslims in India.

Let’s not derail this thread.
We know how obsessed Muslims are in converting everyone. You don’t have to kill a billion Hindus when you can create a silly secular country where jokes and insults in Hinduism are considered cool but nothing can be said about Islam because they will slit your throat for real if you dared. For centuries Hinduism embraced shaanti & bhaichara as their preferred approach but what did we get in return? Only betrayals.

 

[CricketCartoons]

For a long time Ind media referred pak as
"padosi mulk" and islamists as " kuch bhatke huey log " lol ! That's why I believe the laws should be equal for all - and no Muslim appeasement or any appeasement nonsense.

They used the word Pakistan in Amir Khan's Sarfarosh for the first time. They had to take permission for that. Otherwise it was always parosi mulk if Pakistan was to be referenced.

 

[Stewie]

Let’s not derail this thread.
We know how obsessed Muslims are in converting everyone. You don’t have to kill a billion Hindus when you can create a silly secular country where jokes and insults in Hinduism are considered cool but nothing can be said about Islam because they will slit your throat for real if you dared. For centuries Hinduism embraced shaanti & bhaichara as their preferred approach but what did we get in return? Only betrayals.

Well that is my point. Its low self esteem. Who allowed you guys to make jokes about yourselves? This comes from within. You cannot blame this on anyone. Also who is converting Hindus? Is that really that easy? Why are Hindus that easy to convert?

Maybe there is a reason behind it, would be worth exploring. You like to write long remorseful posts that put the blame everywhere and sometimes squarely on Muslims but never on the internal issues of Hindus. Maybe if you guys had the inner cohesion and belief that Muslims have you would not have run into this issue. Stop blaming it on your spirit for bhaichara, etc. You can have that without getting easily converted and allowing others to mock you. If that is happening, only you yourself are to blame.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Pakistan based terrorist - change to Pakistan based hijackers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Don't Know Why Controversy, Names Were Factual": IC-814 Pax On Netflix Row

The new Netflix series 'IC-814 Kandahar Hijack' - on the 1999 hijack of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 by Pakistan-based terrorists - is "based on a real event and the names (of the hijackers, which has led to a row over historical accuracy) are factual", Pooja Kataria, one of 189 people held hostage, has said.

She called on people to view the show as entertainment and not as controversy.

"I don't know why people are making a controversy... this is based on a real event and the names were also factual," she told news agency ANI Wednesday, indicating she had been well-treated. "One hijacker, called 'burger' celebrated my birthday and gifted me his shawl. Another, 'doctor', used to give speeches on Islam we were on the plane and seemed to be an intelligent individual."

"We were returning from Nepal when the plane was hijacked. There were 176 passengers on the flight... there were five hijackers. We were all scared and didn't have any idea of what was happening. We were given nothing to eat, except a small apple," Ms Kataria said of a hostage situation resolved after the then Indian government was forced to exchange three terrorists.

Pooja Kataria's comment follows a heated row over Netflix's use of two terrorists' code names - 'Bhola' and 'Shankar'. Critics have accused the OTT giant of distorting facts, misrepresenting the identities of the terrorists - named by the Home Ministry in 2000 as Ibrahim Athar, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim and Shakir - and offending Hindu sentiments.

The ministry also noted that during the hijacking the terrorists called each other only by code names, two of which were 'Bhola' and 'Shankar', and the others were 'chief', 'doctor', and 'burger'.

Nevertheless, as the row over the terrorists' code and real names gathered steam, the government summoned senior Netflix executive Monika Shergill and told "nobody has the right to play with people's sentiments". The company later updated the opening disclaimer to include real and code names.

Ms Kataria isn't the only ex-hostage to have spoken up on the series.

Anil Sharma, who was a steward on the flight, spoke to news agency IANS, but he had a different perspective, stating some of the scenes in the web series are fictional and that the names 'Bhola' and 'Shankar' were "imaginary... and not their (the terrorists') real names".

"The intent of the makers of web series did not seem good to me," he declared.

The Netflix show is inspired by events on board flight IC-814 and on ground in Kandahar and Delhi, as well as the book 'Flight Into Fear: The Captain's Story' by Devi Sharan, who was the plane's captain.

"Don't Know Why Controversy, Names Were Factual": IC-814 Pax On Netflix Row

Netflix's 'IC-814 Kandahar Hijack' - on a 1999 hijack by Pak-based terrorists - is "based on a real event and the names (of the hijackers, which led to a row over historical accuracy) are factual", Pooja Kataria, one of the hostages, said.

www.ndtv.com

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Modi’s BJP wants us to forget Vajpayee’s old, weak BJP. IC 814 facts not the real issue​

In hyper-polarised times, it can be hazardous to chronicle contemporary history or learn from its mistakes. Not surprisingly then, a Netflix series titled IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has got the ruling BJP, particularly its social media handles, all hot and bothered.

The series tells the story of the infamous hijack of the Indian Airlines plane from Kathmandu to Delhi on 24 December 1999 and the subsequent eight-day ordeal before the plane was finally set free.

The ostensible reason for the BJP’s noisy indignation is that in the Netflix series, the five hijackers—Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Shakir Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, and Ibrahim Athar—are called by Hindu names ‘Shankar’ and ‘Bhola’. However, hijack survivors have testified that these were indeed the nicknames the hijackers adopted to conceal their identities and that they used these names throughout the operation. In fact, the hijackers also used other nicknames like ‘Burger,’ ‘Chief,’ and ‘Doctor,’ and their real names only became known days after the hijacking drama ended.

The BJP is also furious that the series does not focus sharply enough on the role played by Pakistan’s ISI, effectively giving it a “clean chit”. Some BJP supporters are even calling for a boycott of Netflix. Yet, the real reason for the BJP’s rage is not the so-called inaccuracies in the series.

Source: The Print

 

[Bhaijaan]

Modi’s BJP wants us to forget Vajpayee’s old, weak BJP. IC 814 facts not the real issue​

In hyper-polarised times, it can be hazardous to chronicle contemporary history or learn from its mistakes. Not surprisingly then, a Netflix series titled IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has got the ruling BJP, particularly its social media handles, all hot and bothered.

The series tells the story of the infamous hijack of the Indian Airlines plane from Kathmandu to Delhi on 24 December 1999 and the subsequent eight-day ordeal before the plane was finally set free.

The ostensible reason for the BJP’s noisy indignation is that in the Netflix series, the five hijackers—Sunny Ahmed Qazi, Shakir Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, Shahid Akhtar Sayed, and Ibrahim Athar—are called by Hindu names ‘Shankar’ and ‘Bhola’. However, hijack survivors have testified that these were indeed the nicknames the hijackers adopted to conceal their identities and that they used these names throughout the operation. In fact, the hijackers also used other nicknames like ‘Burger,’ ‘Chief,’ and ‘Doctor,’ and their real names only became known days after the hijacking drama ended.

The BJP is also furious that the series does not focus sharply enough on the role played by Pakistan’s ISI, effectively giving it a “clean chit”. Some BJP supporters are even calling for a boycott of Netflix. Yet, the real reason for the BJP’s rage is not the so-called inaccuracies in the series.

Source: The Print

Vajpayee was a lullooo as a PM. Even during Kargil he mishandled our response. The army was ready to go inside Pakistan and he stopped them and told them to play defense instead resulting in so many casualties.

One of our worst Prime Ministers ever.

Not cut from the same cloth as Shaheed Indira & PM Modi.

 

[Local.Dada]

Vajpayee was a lullooo as a PM. Even during Kargil he mishandled our response. The army was ready to go inside Pakistan and he stopped them and told them to play defense instead resulting in so many casualties.

One of our worst Prime Ministers ever.

Not cut from the same cloth as Shaheed Indira & PM Modi.

Pakistanis used to say “Bharat hume tasleem nahi karta hai” even though ironically Indians and Pakistanis have passports and visa protocol to travel to each other countries.

Ironically Pakistanis can travel to India but not to Israel which is a debate for another day.

Having said that Vajpayee stood on Minar-E-Pakistan and gave a call for peace. I mean any more “tasleem” needed?

What happened after that we all know.

However forget an online forum, I see Pakistani channels still give the same rhetoric “India hume tasleem nahi karta”.

Basically long story short- waste of time to have these debates.

I thought it was a slow news day for the mod and I paid a quick visit to dawn, geo, ary , a few media houses I know from Pak to just check what’s going on in Pakistan.

Let me put it this way- there are more important topics than a web series that will be forgotten in a week. I will leave it there. I leave that decision to you about how much more input is needed on this topic

 

[LordJames]

Vajpayee was a lullooo as a PM. Even during Kargil he mishandled our response. The army was ready to go inside Pakistan and he stopped them and told them to play defense instead resulting in so many casualties.

One of our worst Prime Ministers ever.

Not cut from the same cloth as Shaheed Indira & PM Modi.

"Shaheed" Indra?

Are you also going to claim that "Shaheed" is native to Hindusim and India?

 

[Bhaijaan]

"Shaheed" Indra?

Are you also going to claim that "Shaheed" is native to Hindusim and India?

We are not insecure like that.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Pakistanis used to say “Bharat hume tasleem nahi karta hai” even though ironically Indians and Pakistanis have passports and visa protocol to travel to each other countries.

Ironically Pakistanis can travel to India but not to Israel which is a debate for another day.

Having said that Vajpayee stood on Minar-E-Pakistan and gave a call for peace. I mean any more “tasleem” needed?

What happened after that we all know.

However forget an online forum, I see Pakistani channels still give the same rhetoric “India hume tasleem nahi karta”.

Basically long story short- waste of time to have these debates.

I thought it was a slow news day for the mod and I paid a quick visit to dawn, geo, ary , a few media houses I know from Pak to just check what’s going on in Pakistan.

Let me put it this way- there are more important topics than a web series that will be forgotten in a week. I will leave it there. I leave that decision to you about how much more input is needed on this topic

I have been at war with BJPtarsds about Vajpayee being a mediocre , rather poor PM. He was not 1/10th the man Shaheed Indira Gandhi was

 

[FearlessRoar]

I watched the series and the best part of the movie was when they showed how a Pakistani helped the Indian government to get women and children off board at Dubai.

And the makers were confused to show hijackers as good or bad, as they also showed a hijacker playing Antakshari with passengers, and when another hijacker offered a cigarette to the pilot, so the pilot said smoking is not allowed in the plane, so the hijacker himself also didn't smoke the cigarette.

 

[Bhaijaan]

I watched the series and the best part of the movie was when they showed how a Pakistani helped the Indian government to get women and children off board at Dubai.

And the makers were confused to show hijackers as good or bad, as they also showed a hijacker playing Antakshari with passengers, and when another hijacker offered a cigarette to the pilot, so the pilot said smoking is not allowed in the plane, so the hijacker himself also didn't smoke the cigarette.

I am planning to watch it in the weekend. Will share my review soon.

 

[Rajdeep]

What is shocking is...Azhar Masood is still living in Pakistan and shielded by Pak govt.

Just like how Osama Bin Laden, KSM, Ramzi Yusuf or Hakkani brothers were shielded before.

Just like how Hafeez Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim is still living freely there.

There is a reason I call that country a shinning light to this world. Aisa koi paap nehi...jo usne kiya nehi

But but but....India dont send its cricket team...Indian govt don't want good relationship.

Sure mate..ha

 

[DeadlyVenom]

What is shocking is...Azhar Masood is still living in Pakistan and shielded by Pak govt.

Just like how Osama Bin Laden, KSM, Ramzi Yusuf or Hakkani brothers were shielded before.

Just like how Hafeez Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim is still living freely there.

There is a reason I call that country a shinning light to this world. Aisa koi paap nehi...jo usne kiya nehi

But but but....India dont send its cricket team...Indian govt don't want good relationship.

Sure mate..ha

Pakistan is a large country and it is almost impossible to keep track on who enters it's border regions. You see in first world countries they have problem with porous borders too.

If some people entered you can't blame the government.

On the other hand India is openly giving shelter to the Butcher of Bangladesh, the Dacoit of Dakkah, the Slaughterer of Syhlet, Sheikh Hasina.

It's clear which country is just suffering from circumstances beyond it's control and which country openly harbours criminals.

 

[Rajdeep]

To deal with a state like Pakistan who is forever looking to harm you, one need a leader like Modi.

As much as I admired Vajpayee ji, he was too soft and humble of a man. Poor guy thought it was Switzerland while dealing with Pakistan when he made that Aman ki Aasa trip. Pak then responded with Kandahar, Kargill and attacking Indian parliament. So much love...wow

You need ruthless authoritarian figures like Modi and Shah to deal with such nations. Manmohan and Vajpayee are not the answers. You need to twist your finger to drag pickle out of a jar.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Ex-Punjab Police Chief Defends Hijacked IC 814 Takeoff from Amritsar, Says He Told IB Chief: 'Goli Chalegi Toh...'​

Sarabjit Singh, former Director General of Police in Punjab, was at the center of the action when a hijacked Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu landed in Amritsar in December 1999. He recalled the back-and-forth with authorities in New Delhi during the crisis. Flight IC 814 stayed in Amritsar for about 45 minutes before taking off again, eventually landing in Kandahar. There, it remained for several days as Indian officials negotiated with terrorists to free the hostages. Letting the plane leave Amritsar was considered a big mistake, as it then entered hostile territory. This hijacking was recently dramatised in the Netflix series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.

In an interview with The Tribune, Sarabjit Singh shared that he learned about the hijacking from the news. Though he was in Chandigarh, he trusted his instinct and sent two commando units to Amritsar airport just in case. He stayed in contact with IB chief Shyamal Dutta and former R&AW chief AS Dulat. Meanwhile, DIG Border Jaswinder Singh reached the ATC tower at Amritsar airport and spoke with the flight captain, Devi Sharan.

He said, “My first reaction, when I was told that the plane had landed in Amritsar, before I could talk to Delhi, was, ‘Don’t refuel’. Devi Sharan was stressing, ‘Please give us fuel, please give us fuel’. In the meantime, Delhi is telling me to do something, and I said, ‘Look, I have two companies out there, they’re armed with automatic weapons, but we don’t have any equipment specific to hijacking. We don’t even have a ladder to reach the plane. Shooting will take place. And if shooting takes place, I cannot tell you how many will die’.”

The plan was to delay things by refusing fuel and wait for the NSG to arrive. Sarabjit was shocked when Captain Devi Sharan took off after 45 minutes, even though the plane had less than 10 minutes of fuel. It flew to Lahore, got refueled, and headed to Dubai and then Kandahar. Praising Sharan’s braverym Sarabjit said, “I would give full marks to Devi Sharan for courage and coolness. He pretended to be scared, but I could see that the man was in full control of what he was trying to do… I could never have imagined that a chap with 9 minutes of fuel would’ve taken off. I was working on the concept no-fuel-no-takeoff… No pilot with a sensible mind would take off like this…”

In response to criticism, Sarabjit explained, “I had warned the people in Delhi that I have people waiting on the ground, but if we take action, there would be shooting, and people will die. As per our protocol, the central CMG handles hijacks, and they told me, ‘Don’t shoot’. I told Shyamal, ‘If you’re ready, I’ll start’, but he said, ‘Don’t. Disable the plane, but don’t move in with your chaps’. I told him, ‘Goli chalegi toh log marenge’, and he said, ‘Goli mat chalao’.”

Vijay Varma starrer IC184 The Kandahar Hijack is the re-telling of the infamous plane hijack in India’s defence history. It has piqued the nation’s interest and the Indian officials involved in the negotiations are recalling the ordeal.

Ex-Punjab Police Chief Defends Hijacked IC 814 Takeoff from Amritsar, Says He Told IB Chief: 'Goli Chalegi Toh...' - News18

Vijay Varma starrer IC184 The Kandahar Hijack on Netflix is the re-telling of the infamous plane hijack in India’s defence history.

www.news18.com