The hijacking of the IA flight IC 436 at Lucknow Airport...Part 2

In my last post I have written about my adventure in the sky. IA Lucknow- Delhi flight IC 436 was hijacked by 4 college student with 59 passengers on board. The student hijackers were demanding postponement of examination, grant of more funds to their college, investigation of corruption charge against the Principle of the college and introduction of postgraduate course. All the passengers were in the grip of extreme fear except for the army gents. Due to the inebriated condition of one of the defence personnel, who was restless and kept getting up to catch the hijackers and every time the fellow passengers would push him back into his seat. 

The hijacked flight (Illustration purpose only)

 Suddenly the plane started losing height and there was panic in the aircraft. I was sure that doomsday had arrived. Calm prevailed only when the plane stabilized.  “Ladies and gentlemen, the plane lost height due to the air pocket, nothing to worry. .Governor of UP has agreed to meet the students and we have been given clearance to land at the Amausi airport at Lucknow.” It was the voice of the captain over the PA system. And amid fervent prayers the plane finally landed at the airport.

 Calm prevailed only when the plane stabilized.....

Fire Engines approaching the hijacked aircraft

Plane off  main parking bay.

When I looked outside it was a scene straight from a James Bond movie, gun toting policemen, red and blue siren lights on the vehicles surrounding the plane? Everyone was waiting nervously, with bated breath for the doors to be opened. Nobody on board realized that due to the hijack protocol the plane was not allowed to taxi towards the terminal building and was parked far off from the main parking bay.

Security forces aiming at the aircraft

 I forgot to mention that due to my media profession I managed to grab the attention of 2 student hijackers during the hold up. So after the plane had touched down I requested them to allow me to go to the washroom as I thought it was the safest place in case of crossfire. After consultation with his colleague one the student hijackers accompanied me to the door of the toilet which was at the front of the aircraft. I do not know how long I was inside the toilet until I heard a knock. I realized that holding myself inside would be an exercise in futile. I unlocked the door and came out. 

     As I was walking back to my seat things began to happen very fast. The next moment I was on the floor with the hijacker on top of my back and the Army guy on top of him. The small tin box (of Paan Masala) fell out of the hijacker’s hand as he started screaming “plane ko uda do ,koi bachne na pai”(blow the plane. Kill them all). But it was over for the hijackers as the tin box was empty. There was no RDX in it. The hijackers had managed to hijack the plane on ransom on a hoax.

The relieved passengers after the ordeal

Mean while as this hijacker was being tackled the other passengers too overpowered the rest and started beating them mercilessly. The air hostess opened all the doors of the aircraft, and people in their panic started jumping out of the plane not realizing that they were high above the ground, at least 20 feet. A lot of people got injured due to the fall.  I jumped out onto the wing of the plane and the next moment I landed on the tarmac. I could see the policemen aiming their gun at every person who jumped out of the plane, till we told them that the hijackers had been overpowered and were still in the plane.

Back in the Sky

   The over powered hijackers were picked up by the police and we all sat in the airline surface transport to return back to the main airport building. Later on the flight IC 436 was once again rescheduled for departure. But I avoided it like the plague. I came back home and took the night Train to Delhi.

To the best of my knowledge this was the only hijacked flight in the world, wherein the hijackers were overpowered by the passengers of course led by the high spirited army personnel.