https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Indian_Airlines_Flight_410Indian Airlines Flight 410 - Revision history2026-11-01T12:15:48ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Indian_Airlines_Flight_410&diff=504025&oldid=prevBogdanwyo: creating a article!2026-02-19T22:30:57Z<p>creating a article!</p>
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{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2019}}{{Use Indian English|date=May 2019}}{{Short description|1978 politically-motivated plane hijacking in India}}{{Infobox aircraft occurrence<br />
| name = Indian Airlines Flight 410<br />
| image = Indian Airlines Boeing 737-2A8; VT-EGE, December 1998 BUI (5404996252).jpg<br />
| image_upright = 1.15<br />
| caption = An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, the model of the hijacked aircraft.<br />
| occurrence_type = Hijacking<br />
| date = {{start date|1978|12|20|df=y}}<br />
| summary = [[Aircraft hijacking]]<br />
| site = [[Varanasi Airport]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India<br />
| coordinates = {{coord|25|27|08|N|082|51|34|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}<br />
| aircraft_type = [[Boeing 737-200]]<br />
| operator = [[Indian Airlines]]<br />
| tail_number = Unknown<br />
| origin = [[Calcutta Airport]]<br />
| stopover = [[Amausi Airport]]<br />
| destination = [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Palam Airport]]<br />
| passengers = 126<br />
| crew = 6<br />
| fatalities = 0<br />
| survivors = 132<br />
| IATA = IC410<br />
| occupants = 132<br />
}}<br />
'''Indian Airlines Flight 410''' was a domestic passenger flight from [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] to [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|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. <br />
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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 [[Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|legislative assembly of Uttar Pradesh]].<br />
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== Timeline ==<br />
On 20 December 1978, the aircraft (a [[Boeing 737-200]]) was hijacked shortly before landing at Palam Airport by Bholanath Pandey and Devendra Pandey,{{refn|The two hijackers were not related|group=Note}} who were armed with a [[toy gun]] and a [[cricket ball]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The IC 410 Hijacking Case: A Shameful Example of the Congress' Dangerous Contempt for the Rule of Law |url=https://www.vifindia.org/article/2014/april/15/the-ic-410-hijacking-case-a-shameful-example-of-the-congress-dangerous |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=www.vifindia.org |language=en}}</ref> The hijackers initially ordered the pilots to fly the plane to [[Nepal]], which the pilots refused due to a shortage of fuel. The hijackers then ordered the pilots to fly to [[Bangladesh]], which the pilots also refused. The hijackers then settled for [[Varanasi Airport]] in [[Uttar Pradesh]], India.<br />
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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.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |date=9 December 2014 |title=Indian Airlines Boeing 737 hijacking: A black political comedy |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19790115-indian-airlines-boeing-737-hijacking-a-black-political-comedy-821765-2014-12-09 |access-date=2023-09-10 |website=India Today}}</ref><br />
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Upon landing in [[Varanasi Airport|Varanasi]], the hijackers used the plane's radio to announce their demands to the authorities.<ref name=":2"/> Their main demands were the release of [[Indira Gandhi]] (who had been arrested after [[The Emergency (India)|the Emergency]]), the withdrawal of all the cases against her son [[Sanjay Gandhi]], and the resignation of the [[Janata Party]] government.<ref name="Kishin_2005">{{cite book |author=Wadhwaney |first=Kishin R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dY3uofmVqR8C&dq=bholanath+and+devendra+Pandey&pg=RA1-PA124 |title=Indian Airports (Shocking Ground Realities) |publisher=Diamond Pocket Books |year=2005 |isbn=978-81-288-0872-2 |page=124 |accessdate=2011-07-28}}</ref><ref name=":1"/><br />
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Negotiations commenced early in the morning of 21 December 1978, after a charter flight, carrying [[Ram Naresh Yadav]], the [[Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh]], the Inspector General of the Police{{who?|date=February 2024}} and the Chief Secretary{{who?|date=February 2024}}, landed at the airport at 1:00am.<ref name=":1" /> The negotiations continued for several hours, whilst the hijackers kept the 130 passengers and crew hostage within the plane. One passenger reportedly{{By whom|date=February 2024}} managed to escape undetected during this time.<ref name=":2"/><br />
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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.<ref name=":2" /> <br />
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== Aftermath ==<br />
After Indira Gandhi and her party returned to government in the [[1980 Indian general election]], the prosecution against the two hijackers were dropped.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |title=IC 410 Plane Hijackers become MLA's in India – Bholanath & Devendra Pandey |url=https://mythgyaan.com/ic410-plane-hijackers-bholanath-devendra-congress-mla-india/ |website=Mythagaan.com |access-date=2023-09-10 |date=6 August 2023}}</ref> The [[Indian National Congress]] party rewarded them with party tickets for the [[1980 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|1980 state assembly election]]. Both won the election and became members of the [[Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly|legislative assembly]] of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. Bholanath Pandey served as a Congress MLA from 1980 to [[1985 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|1985]], and from [[1989 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|1989]] to [[1991 Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly election|1991]], and Devendra Pandey remained a member of the house for two terms.{Citation needed|date=February 2024}<br />
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== Notes ==<br />
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{{Reflist|group=Note}}<br />
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== See also ==<br />
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* [[List of hijackings of Indian aeroplanes#1970s|List of hijackings of Indian aeroplanes - 1970s]]<br />
* [[List of aircraft hijackings#1970s|List of aircraft hijackings - 1970s]]<br />
* [[List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by location#India|List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by location - India]]<br />
* [[List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by airline (D–O)#I|List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by airline (D–O)]]<br />
* [[List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft#1978|List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft - 1978]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== Further reading ==<br />
* [https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19790115-indian-airlines-boeing-737-hijacking-a-black-political-comedy-821765-2014-12-09 Hijacking: A toy-gun affair], India Today, 15 January 1979.<br />
* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Tale-of-two-hijackers-One-is-Congress-candidate-other-most-wanted/articleshow/33156540.cms Tale of two hijackers: One is Congress candidate, other most wanted], The Times of India, 3 April 2014.<br />
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== External links ==<br />
* {{ASN accident|id=19781220-1|type=Hijacking}}<br />
* [http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/india-s-tryst-with-plane-hijacks-114031800597_1.html India's tryst with plane hijacks], Business Standard, 18 March 2014.<br />
* [https://mythgyaan.com/ic410-plane-hijackers-bholanath-devendra-congress-mla-india/ IC 410 Plane Hijackers become MLA's in India], Mythgyaan, 27 March 2019.<br />
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{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 1978}}<br />
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in India}}<br />
{{Air India}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Aircraft hijackings in India]]<br />
[[Category:Crime in Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Indian (airline) accidents and incidents]]<br />
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in India]]<br />
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1978]]<br />
[[Category:1978 in India]]<br />
[[Category:December 1978 in Asia]]<br />
[[Category:Aviation accidents and incidents involving the Boeing 737 Original]]<br />
[[Category:Desai administration]]<br />
[[Category:Hostage taking in India]]<br />
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in India in the 1970s]]<br />
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]</div>Bogdanwyo