The IC 814 hijacking was a significant and tragic event in Indian history. On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC 814, en route from Kathmandu, Nepal, to New Delhi, India, was hijacked by five armed terrorists shortly after takeoff. The aircraft, an Airbus A300, had 176 passengers and crew members on board.
### Timeline of the Hijack:
1. **Kathmandu to Amritsar:** The plane was hijacked over Indian airspace and diverted to Lahore, Pakistan, but due to denial of landing permission, it was eventually allowed to land in Amritsar, India. However, after a brief refueling, it was quickly flown out by the hijackers to Lahore.
2. **Lahore to Dubai:** The aircraft then made its way to Lahore, Pakistan, where it was refueled again. The hijackers released 27 passengers in Dubai in exchange for refueling.
3. **Final Destination - Kandahar:** The plane was finally flown to Kandahar, Afghanistan, which at the time was under the control of the Taliban regime. Kandahar became the final and most tense phase of the standoff.
### Demands and Negotiations:
The hijackers demanded the release of several militants held in Indian prisons, including Maulana Masood Azhar, a key figure in several terrorist activities against India. The Indian government, after intense negotiations and under immense pressure to save the lives of the hostages, eventually agreed to release three militants in exchange for the hostages.
### Outcome:
On December 31, 1999, after the negotiations were concluded and the militants were released, the hostages were freed. Unfortunately, one passenger, Rupin Katyal, was killed by the hijackers during the ordeal.
### Aftermath:
The release of the militants, especially Masood Azhar, had far-reaching consequences. Azhar went on to found the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed, which was involved in several subsequent terrorist attacks in India, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack.
The IC 814 hijacking remains a deeply traumatic and controversial episode in Indian history, highlighting the complex challenges of dealing with terrorism and the difficult decisions that governments often face in such situations.
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