Why did Punjab Police commandos not enter hijacked IC 814 aircraft in 1999? Former DGP says...

Netflix has released a new web series titled ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’. The series is based on the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814. It raises questions about the roles of India's intelligence agencies, RAW and IB, and the Punjab Police's actions during the incident.

One key issue highlighted is why Punjab Police commandos did not board the plane when it landed in Amritsar for refuelling. At that time, Sarabjit Singh, who was the Director General of Police (DGP) in Punjab, explained this decision in an interview with The Tribune. Singh stated that sending the commandos into the plane could have resulted in many casualties. The commandos were only equipped with AK-47 rifles, lacked other weapons or equipment, and were not trained for anti-hijacking operations. Singh recalled asking the Crisis Management Group for clear instructions, emphasising the risk to passengers' lives. IB Director Shyamal Dutta reportedly insisted on avoiding any casualties.

Flight IC 814, carrying 176 passengers and 15 crew members, was hijacked on December 24, 1999. The hijackers forced the pilot to land in Amritsar, but fearing a commando operation, they pressured the pilot to take off again. The plane eventually landed in Lahore for refuelling before heading to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Negotiations with the hijackers continued for eight days. Finally, the Indian government, led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, agreed to release three terrorists, including Maulana Masood Azhar, to secure the safe release of the passengers. This decision remains controversial in India's history.