Pooja Kataria, a survivor of the infamous IC-814 hijacking, has shared her chilling account of the 1999 ordeal, providing a firsthand perspective on the terrifying journey from Kathmandu to New Delhi. Kataria, who was on board the Indian Airlines flight, revealed the hijackers’ code names: Burger, Bhola, and Shankar. These code names have become a focal point of controversy surrounding the Netflix series ‘IC-814: The Kandahar Hijack,’ with critics alleging that the show attempts to deflect blame from Pakistani terrorists involved in the hijacking.
Kataria described the terrifying moments after the flight took off, when the hijackers declared their intentions. She recalled the tense atmosphere, the instructions to keep their heads down, and the overwhelming sense of fear that gripped the passengers. The hijackers, demanding the release of three jailed terrorists – Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar – in exchange for the passengers’ safety, forced the flight to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan, then under Taliban control.
Kataria detailed the psychological warfare employed by the hijackers, highlighting the actions of ‘Burger’, who initially appeared friendly, even engaging the passengers in games of ‘Antakshari’. However, the hijackers also resorted to intimidation, with ‘Doctor’ delivering speeches promoting conversion to Islam.
The controversy surrounding the Netflix series erupted when the show used the hijackers’ code names. This has led to accusations of downplaying the role of Pakistani terrorists and sparking debate about the show’s portrayal of the incident. In response to the backlash, Netflix India issued a statement clarifying that the disclaimer of the web series has been updated to include both the real and code names of the hijackers.
The IC-814 hijacking stands as a stark reminder of the dangers of terrorism and the enduring impact on its victims. The harrowing experience of survivors like Pooja Kataria serve as a poignant testament to the human cost of such events and the need for continued vigilance against terrorism.
