On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 was hijacked by five armed terrorists while flying from Kathmandu, Nepal, to New Delhi, India.
Fact #1
The hijacking lasted for 7 days, with the plane being held in multiple locations including Amritsar, Lahore, and Dubai, before finally landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Fact #2
There were 176 passengers and crew members onboard. The terrorists demanded the release of specific Islamic militants from Indian jails in exchange for the hostages.
Fact #3
The hijackers demanded the release of three militants, including Maulana Masood Azhar, who later went on to found the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed.
Fact #4
The Indian government engaged in intense negotiations with the Taliban, who controlled Afghanistan at the time, to secure the safe release of the passengers.
Fact #5
One passenger, Rupin Katyal, was killed by the hijackers during the standoff, becoming a symbol of the human toll of the crisis.
Fact #6
The Taliban played a mediating role, but their involvement raised international suspicions, as the hijackers were granted safe haven in Afghanistan.
Fact #7
The Indian government eventually agreed to the hijackers' demands, releasing the militants in exchange for the safe return of the hostages on December 31, 1999.
Fact #8
The incident led to a major overhaul of Indian airport security protocols, as well as changes in the handling of hijacking situations.
Fact #9
The Kandahar hijacking remains one of India's most notorious terrorist incidents, influencing counterterrorism strategies and raising questions about hostage negotiations.