Hijack Alert issued for Delhi-Kabul Air India Flight

The intelligence agencies have alerted the Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) about a possible hijack attempt on Air India flight from Delhi to Kabul, triggering a panic situation across the country. The government as well as the security agencies have swung into action following the high alert.

The alert has been issues ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit to India on Republic Day. He will be the Chief Guest at Republic Day parade. Security has been beefed up across the airports of the country with immediate effect.

The plane hijack could be similar to 1999 hijack of Indian Airlines flight IC 814, which forced the BJP-led NDA government on back foot. Then Vajpayee government had no option but to release dreaded terrorists to secure the release of passengers stranded in Kandahar, which was under the control of Taliban militants then.

The alert came a day after an anonymous call was made to the Kolkata office of Air India, which said that an Air India plane would be hijacked.