2001:4BB8:269:B807:50A8:417D:F597:987D at 19:22, 19 September 2021

2021-09-19T19:22:32Z

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{{short description|1981 aircraft hijacking}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| name = Indian Airlines Flight 423
| occurrence_type = Hijacking
| image = Indian Airlines Boeing 737-2A8; VT-EGE, December 1998 BUI (5404996252).jpg
| image_upright =
| alt =
| caption = An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the aircraft involved in the hijack
| date = {{start date|df=yes|1981|9|29}}
| summary = [[Terrorist]] [[Aircraft hijacking|hijacking]]
| site = [[Lahore Airport]], [[Punjab, Pakistan|Punjab]], Pakistan
| coordinates = {{Coord|31|31|17|N|74|24|12|E|type:event|display=inline,title}}
| passengers = 111
| crew = 6
| fatalities = 0
| injuries =
| missing =
| survivors =
| aircraft_type = [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200]]
| aircraft_name =
| operator = [[Indian Airlines]]
| tail_number =
| origin = [[Palam Airport]]
| stopover =
| stopover0 =
| last_stopover =
| destination = [[Raja Sansi Airport]]
| occupants = 117 (including the hijackers)
}}
'''Indian Airlines Flight 423''' ([[International Air Transport Association|IATA]] No.: IC423) was an [[Indian Airlines]] [[Boeing 737]] domestic passenger flight from the [[Palam Airport|Delhi-Palam Airport]] to the [[Raja Sansi Airport|Amritsar-Raja Sansi Airport]] on 29 September 1981. It was hijacked by five Sikh militants of the [[Dal Khalsa (International)|Dal Khalsa]] (armed with daggers and a hand grenade), masterminded by Sikh militants 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.<ref name="Hindu" /> Singh had demanded the release of his leaders, including [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]], and a sum of $500,000 in cash.<ref name="TheHindu_Lahore_pathankot">{{cite news |last1=Haider |first1=Suhasini |title=Lahore to Pathankot, via Kandahar |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/Lahore-to-Pathankot-via-Kandahar/article14019818.ece |accessdate=13 July 2018 |work=The Hindu|date=26 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726185239/https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/Lahore-to-Pathankot-via-Kandahar/article14019818.ece |archive-date=26 July 2018 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Pakistan agreed to India's request to ensure the passenger's safety in spite of protests by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. Pakistan took commando action using its elite [[Special Service Group|SSG]] which cleared the plane and got all passengers released.<ref name="Nyt_IA_hijack1981">{{cite news |title=SIKH SEPARATISTS HIJACK INDIAN JETLINER TO PAKISTAN |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/30/world/sikh-separatists-hijack-indian-jetliner-to-pakistan.html |accessdate=13 July 2018 |work=New York Times|date=1981 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129183738/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/30/world/sikh-separatists-hijack-indian-jetliner-to-pakistan.html |archive-date=29 November 2014 |url-status=live|df=dmy-all }}</ref> The hijackers faced trial in Pakistan and they were sentenced to life imprisonment.<ref name="Hindu">{{cite news|date=1981|title=The Hindu excerpt|work=The Hindu|url=http://mythicalindia.com/features-page/6-indian-airplane-hijack-stories-which-you-didnt-know-about/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180713230508/http://mythicalindia.com/features-page/6-indian-airplane-hijack-stories-which-you-didnt-know-about/|archive-date=13 July 2018|accessdate=13 July 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The accused, Satnam Singh, after completing his trial, returned to India and was put on retrial. However the court discharged him, stating that the accused has already served the sentence in Pakistan.<ref name="Hndu_discharged_IA">{{cite news |title=Hijacker of IA flight discharged |url=https://www.thehindu.com/2000/02/22/stories/0222000w.htm |accessdate=13 July 2018 |date=20 February 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180726185239/https://www.thehindu.com/2000/02/22/stories/0222000w.htm |archive-date=26 July 2018 |url-status=dead|work=[[The Hindu]] |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of hijackings of Indian aeroplanes#1980s]]
* [[List of aircraft hijackings#1980s]]
* [[List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by location#India]]
* [[List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by airline (D–O)#I]]
* [[List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft#1981]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External link ==

* {{ASN accident|id=19810929-2|type=Hijacking}}

{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1981}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in India}}
{{Air India}}

[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1981]]
[[Category:Aircraft hijackings in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Aircraft hijackings in India]]
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]
[[Category:Sikh terrorism in India]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in 1981]]
[[Category:Hostage taking]]
[[Category:Indian (airline) accidents and incidents|423]]
[[Category:1981 in India]]
[[Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 Original]]
[[Category:Indira Gandhi administration]]
[[Category:Aircraft hijackings]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India]]
[[Category:1981 in Pakistan]]
[[Category:India–Pakistan relations]]

Indian Airlines Flight 423 - Revision history

2001:4BB8:269:B807:50A8:417D:F597:987D at 19:22, 19 September 2021