Indian Airlines Flight 410
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Indian Airlines Flight 410 was a domestic passenger flight from Calcutta to Palam Airport, Delhi, India. On 20 December 1978 the flight was hijacked by Bholanath Pandey and Devendra Pandey shortly before landing at Palam Airport. The hijackers claimed to be members of the Indian Youth Congress, and demanded the release of Indira Gandhi, withdrawal of the charges against her son Sanjay Gandhi, and the resignation of the Janata Party government. The hijackers surrendered shortly after 60 passengers managed to escape.
The prosecution against the two hijackers was dropped after Indira Gandhi and her party returned to government in 1980. Bholanath Pandey and Devendra Pandey then went on to serve as members of the legislative assembly of Uttar Pradesh.
Amausi Airport | |
Destination | Palam Airport |
---|---|
Occupants | 132 (including the hijackers) |
Passengers | 126 |
Crew | 6 |
Fatalities | 0 |
Timeline
Indian Airlines Flight 410 was a
On 20 December 1978, the plane (a
The hijackers made speeches over the plane intercom informing passengers that the plane had been hijacked and that the passengers would not be harmed. The hijackers claimed to be members of the Indian Youth Congress; a claim that the Congress later denied.[2]
Upon landing in
Negotiations commenced early in the morning of 21 December 1978, after a charter flight, carrying
At around 6:00am, in response to passenger complaints about the stuffy air in the plane, the hijackers allowed the passengers to open the rear fuselage doors. This deployed the evacuation slide, which allowed 60 passengers to escape. The hijackers surrendered shortly afterwards.[2]
Aftermath
After Indira Gandhi and her party returned to government in the 1980 Indian general election, the prosecution against the two hijackers was dropped.[4] The Indian National Congress party rewarded them with party tickets for the 1980 state assembly election. Both won the election and became members of the legislative assembly of Uttar Pradesh. Bholanath Pandey served as a Congress MLA from 1980 to 1985, and from 1989 to 1991, and Devendra Pandey remained a member of the house for two terms.[citation needed]
Notes
- ^ The two hijackers were not related
See also
- List of hijackings of Indian aeroplanes - 1970s
- List of aircraft hijackings - 1970s
- List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by location - India
- List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by airline (D–O)
- List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft - 1978
References
- ^ a b c "The IC 410 Hijacking Case: A Shameful Example of the Congress' Dangerous Contempt for the Rule of Law". www.vifindia.org. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Indian Airlines Boeing 737 hijacking: A black political comedy". India Today. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ISBN 978-81-288-0872-2. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
- ^ "IC 410 Plane Hijackers become MLA's in India – Bholanath & Devendra Pandey". Mythagaan.com. 6 August 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
Further reading
- Hijacking: A toy-gun affair, India Today, 15 January 1979.
- Tale of two hijackers: One is Congress candidate, other most wanted, The Times of India, 3 April 2014.
External links
- Hijacking description at the Aviation Safety Network
- India's tryst with plane hijacks, Business Standard, 18 March 2014.
- IC 410 Plane Hijackers become MLA's in India, Mythgyaan, 27 March 2019.