Netflix’s latest series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, has captured global attention as it delves into one of the darkest chapters in India’s aviation history. The series, which began streaming on August 29, recounts the harrowing events surrounding the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 on Christmas Eve in 1999.
On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC 814, carrying 180 passengers and crew, was hijacked by five masked terrorists shortly after taking off from Nepal, Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport.
The flight was en route to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. The situation quickly escalated when the hijackers forced Captain Devi Sharan to redirect the plane to Lahore, Pakistan. However, Pakistani authorities denied permission for the aircraft to land, forcing the pilot to divert to Amritsar, India, for refueling.
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Despite efforts by Indian authorities to delay the flight’s departure from Amritsar and bring in National Security Guard (NSG) commandos, the hijackers became suspicious of the delay and threatened to start killing hostages. This prompted the pilot to take off again, and the plane eventually landed in Lahore, where it was refueled under the condition that it would immediately leave Pakistani airspace.
The hijacked plane’s next stop was Dubai, where 27 passengers, including the body of a 25-year-old man named Rupin Katyal who had been fatally stabbed, were released. The situation grew even more dire as the plane finally landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, then under Taliban control. This move put India in a precarious position, as it had no diplomatic relations with the Taliban regime.
The five hijackers, later identified as members of the Pakistan-based terror group Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), made their demands clear: the release of 36 terrorists held in Indian prisons and a ransom of $200 million. As the days dragged on, the Indian government faced mounting pressure from the hostages’ families and the public. Despite initial resistance, the Vajpayee government, led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, eventually agreed to negotiate.
The Taliban, eager for international recognition, offered to mediate between the Indian government and the hijackers. Although the Taliban was accused of providing support to the hijackers during the standoff, they eventually convinced the terrorists to reduce their demands. The final agreement resulted in the release of three high-profile terrorists: Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Maulana Masood Azhar, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar.
On December 31, 1999, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh flew to Kandahar with the three terrorists to secure the release of the remaining hostages. The exchange was seen as a necessary, albeit controversial, move to end the crisis.
The release of these terrorists had far-reaching consequences. Maulana Masood Azhar, protected by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), went on to establish Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a terror organization responsible for numerous attacks on Indian soil. These include the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot Air Force base attack, and the 2019 Pulwama attack, which killed 40 Indian paramilitary personnel.
India’s decision to release the terrorists as part of the Kandahar Hijack deal has been widely criticized. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who oversaw the exchange, later described it as a “diplomatic failure” and a “bloody disgrace” for the nation.
The Kandahar Hijack remains a pivotal moment in India’s modern history, highlighting the complex interplay between terrorism, diplomacy, and national security. The Netflix series brings this dark chapter to life, reminding viewers of the ordeal that tested India’s resolve and reshaped its approach to counterterrorism.
As the series unfolds, it serves as both a grim reminder of the past and a cautionary tale about the ongoing threats posed by global terrorism.
