Opinion | Real Vs Reel: Here is How 1999 IC 814 Hijack Really Played Out

(In light of the controversy over the Netflix series 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack', here is a view on the 1999 hijack and its aftermath. Click here to read Nishtha Gautam's counterview)

The late evening wind chill on December 31, 1999, caused considerable discomfort for everyone gathered at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. Braving the cold were the relatives of the recently freed passengers, media personnel, curious locals from the National Capital Region, numerous security personnel, and logistical staff from various organisations.

The arrival of an Indian Airlines plane elicited cheers. Suddenly, the crowd seemed to forget the tragic killing of Rupin Katyal and the muted anger over the release of three notorious terrorists-Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Zargar, and Omar Shaikh-in exchange for the hostages aboard the hijacked Indian Airlines IC814 flight from Kathmandu to New Delhi. The excitement to see the passengers return home safely overshadowed all other concerns.

As the passengers began to disembark, media personnel focused on two main aspects: the trauma and suffering endured by the hostages, and the identities of the hijackers.

Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, And Shankar

The following morning, the pseudonyms or call signs used by the five hijackers - Chief, Doctor, Burger, Bhola, and Shankar - were widely reported in newspapers. With the real identities of the hijackers still undisclosed, the public dissemination of these pseudonyms heightened anxiety and tension for the then Vajpayee government. Rumours, particularly from across the border, suggesting that some hijackers were Kashmiri Hindus, exacerbated the situation.

Soon after, the Mumbai Police, in close cooperation with central intelligence agencies, apprehended four Harkat-ul-Ansar/Mujahideen operatives-Mohammed Rehan, Mohammed Iqbal, Yasuf Nepali, and Abdul Latif-who had supported the hijackers. Rehan hailed from Karachi, Iqbal from Multan, Yusuf was reportedly a Nepali national, and Latif was an Indian from Mumbai, reportedly recruited by Pakistan ISI during his time in the Gulf Region and later trained in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

During interrogation, these operatives revealed the real identities of all the hijackers. This prompted the then Home Minister, L.K. Advani, to issue a detailed public statement about those involved in the hijack, the evidence linking them to Pakistan and its notorious ISI to relay this information globally. The statement identified Ibrahim Athar from Bahawalpur, Pakistan, as 'Chief'; Shahid Akhtar Sayed Gulshan Iqbal, Sunny Ahmed Qazi and Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim, all from Karachi, as 'Doctor', 'Burger' and 'Bhola', respectively; and Shakir from Sukkur as 'Shankar'. The names and places of origin of the hijackers were provided to dispel any misgivings about them that may have been there for the past few days.

After over 24 years, the release of a series on the IC 814 Kandahar hijack has revived these memories and controversies, particularly surrounding the names of the hijackers - Bhola and Shankar - which has sparked a passionate public debate.

The debate mainly focused on two issues:

1. Intent Of the series:

Is there malicious intent by the producer and director to craft a narrative that exonerates Pakistan and the ISI, while placing all blame on Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda and Afghanistan?

This question arose because Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda's direct involvement was not discussed in detail by those at the helm then. It's true that Laden was living in Afghanistan and was one of the principal players in the state of affairs there. There were scenes of jubilation immediately after the landing and release of three terrorists by Indian authorities. But that Laden or his group masterminded the hijack had not been under scrutiny.

All three released terrorists soon returned to Pakistan to get a hero welcome, formed terror outfits and used Pakistan's soil to indulge in terror activities or export terrorism from there - further proof of the country's direct complicity in the crime. The series, however, has characters playing leads in intelligence agencies and shows how ISI couldn't have been connected with the hijackers.

2. Misleading Names

Did the series mislead viewers by using names like Bhola and Shankar, thereby causing confusion?

A statement issued in the name of Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India, after a meeting of the OTT platform's representatives with the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, clears the air on the issue.

"For the benefit of audiences unfamiliar with the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814, the opening disclaimer has been updated to include the real and code names of the hijackers. The code names in the series reflect those used during the actual event. India has a rich culture of storytelling - and we are committed to showcasing these stories and their authentic representation," the statement said. The statement gives a sense that the platform realised that it was perhaps a mistake on the part of the makers not to give the real identities of the five hijackers at any point in the series.

The series portrays Jaswant Singh, the then external affairs minister, as the one who was taking all the calls. The real story is slightly different.

With Netflix agreeing to make amendments, at least the ferocity of the controversy subsides for now. It is the second time a major OTT platform has agreed to make changes after the ministry took up the issue with them. In January 2021, on the ministry's intervention, Amazon Prime made some changes to the series Tandav. But then there is a difference - Tandav was fiction, while IC814: The Kandahar Hijack is based on a real incident.

(Sanjay Singh is Contributing Editor, NDTV)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author