.jpg) An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the aircraft involved in the hijack | |
| Hijacking | |
|---|---|
| Date | 29 September 1981 |
| Summary | Terrorist hijacking |
| Site | Lahore Airport, Punjab, Pakistan 31°31′17″N 74°24′12″E / 31.52139°N 74.40333°E |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Boeing 737-200 |
| Operator | Indian Airlines |
| Flight origin | Palam Airport |
| Destination | Raja Sansi Airport |
| Occupants | 117 (including the hijackers) |
| Passengers | 111 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
Indian Airlines Flight 423 (IATA No.: IC423) was an Indian Airlines Boeing 737 domestic passenger flight from the Delhi-Palam Airport to the Amritsar-Raja Sansi Airport on 29 September 1981. It was hijacked by five Sikh of the Dal Khalsa (armed with daggers and a hand grenade) and taken to Lahore Airport in Pakistan. The plane had 111 passengers and 6 crew members on board. The Dal Khalsa had been demanding a separate Sikh homeland of Khalistan.
The leader of the hijackers, Gajender Singh, talked to Natwar Singh, India's ambassador in Pakistan, and put forward his demands.[1] Singh had demanded the release of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and others, and a sum of $500,000 in cash.[2]
Pakistan rescued the passengers upon request from India. Pakistan took commando action using its elite SSG which cleared the plane and got all passengers released.[3] The hijackers faced trial in Pakistan and were sentenced to life imprisonment.[1]
The accused, Satnam Singh, after completing his trial, returned to India and was put on trial there too. However, the court discharged him, stating that the accused has already served the sentence in Pakistan.[4]
- ^ a b "The Hindu excerpt". The Hindu. 1981. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ Haider, Suhasini (26 January 2016). "Lahore to Pathankot, via Kandahar". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ "SIKH SEPARATISTS HIJACK INDIAN JETLINER TO PAKISTAN". New York Times. 1981. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
- ^ "Hijacker of IA flight discharged". The Hindu. 20 February 2000. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.