IC-814 hijack, a survivor’s account: ‘Solely your loved ones is well worth the combat. Nothing else is’ | Lengthy Reads Information

On the afternoon of December 24, 1999, minutes after the IC-814 took off from Kathmandu, it was hijacked with 179 passengers and 11 crew members on board. The flight was taken to Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai and Kandahar. The ordeal would come to an finish after per week of negotiations after which the Indian authorities launched three terrorists — Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, Masood Azhar and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar — in change for the hostages. All however one passenger, Rupin Katyal, who was killed by the hijackers, returned to Delhi.

The incident – one of many worst terrorist acts in India that raised critical questions in regards to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA authorities’s response — lately impressed the Netflix sequence IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack.

Chhabra, then 45, believes that no present can ever seize the horror of mid-air captivity. “It was hellishly darkish with the home windows rolled down and the lights turned off. It was chilly and we may barely really feel our our bodies. We have been ready to die and it was solely when the federal government relented on initiating negotiations with the hostages and the terrorists thought that they had the higher hand did they allow us to have meals. Until then, for 3 days, I sucked on a slice of orange,” says Chhabra, who was seated in the identical row as Rupin Katyal, the hostage who was killed.

In truth, Chhabra and Rupin have been among the many 20 males who have been herded to the enterprise class of the aircraft and tied up. “I realised we’d be among the many first hostages to be shot. In truth, when Rupin was roughed up and insisted on having water, I informed him to maintain quiet and never draw consideration to himself. However he was in such ache that he saved asking for water. They then stabbed him in entrance of me a number of instances. I knew I needed to do one thing or I might meet the identical destiny,” says Chhabra.

After some time, he says, he requested one of many hijackers if he may use the washroom. “As soon as they allowed me to stand up, I walked as much as the washroom closest to the financial system class. Whereas exiting, I pretended to faint and rolled on to the primary aisle seat within the financial system class, hurting my ribs badly. One of many hijackers tried waking me up however then gave up as I didn’t open my eyes, pretending to be unconscious. And that’s how I remained within the financial system class, holding on to pricey life. However right here, Rupin’s spouse saved asking me about him and I couldn’t inform the reality. That also hurts,” admits Chhabra.

The primary few days after he returned residence, he couldn’t sleep. His son Rahul, a public relations skilled, says, “I used to be eight then, my brother was 13. However papa was a powerful man and resumed his work inside per week. After that incident, we grew to become nearer as a household.”

The incident left its mark, although. Chhabra changed into a doomscroller on airline hijackings and crashes and now obsessively reads up on newest improvements that may save passengers from a mid-air emergency. “I don’t use social media a lot however I do observe the web. I examine this scientist from Kyiv, who devised a capsule inside the plane fuselage that may be ejected in a matter of seconds and evacuate the passengers. All with the assistance of a parachute,” says Chhabra.

He admits the incident has shaken him perpetually. “I’m at all times suspicious about individuals in beanies or caps. I’m at all times studying faces at airports,” he says.

But, he says, he has managed to stay apolitical although he follows information occasions intently. “Solely your loved ones is well worth the combat. Nothing else is,” Chhabra provides.