Hijack drama at IGI Airport

New Delhi, Feb 2: An Indigo plane made an emergency landing after three passengers, including a woman, told the air hostess that they were armed. This was followed by a hijack drill on Sunday, Feb 1 at 5.29 pm. The pilot of the Goa-New Delhi Indigo recieved a distress call when the flight was over Jaipur and had begun its descent for Delhi. Soon Airport security swung into action swiftly.

The Airbus A-320 with 163 passengers and six crew was parked at an isolated bay and was given a follow-me' jeep. It was promptly surrounded by security forced led by NSG and CISF. The three passengers were Jitendra Kumar Mohalla (16E), Samir Uppal (16B) and Harpreet Anand (29D), sources said.

Other passengers were not aware of the incident for quiet sometime, but they grew suspicious as the plane's door did not open for over half an-hour after landing. They were said that parking bay was not available. Passengers came to know about the hijack drama after they switched on their mobiles and started getting calls from relatives who had seen hijack news on TV flash.

The panic that lasted four hours ended as security forces secured the aircraft and detained three people. All the passengers were brought out safely and the NSG sounded an all clear.

Cannot rule out hijack bid : Chidambaram

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that hijack rule cannot be ruled out. "We don't know if it was a hijack. There were 163 passengers and six crew members. Three have been detained. We have names but unless they are interrogated and identity established we cannot release the names. All passengers are safe. They have been given refreshments and have been allowed to go home," Chidambaram said late on Sunday, Feb 1 evening.

"The behaviour of these three passengers led to a situation where the crew reported that they thought it was a potential hijack situation. The aircraft was already near Delhi and that is why they landed here. All I can say is that all the three have been detained. Two men and a woman have been detained. All other passengers are being allowed to go home.," he said.

He also told that he would not say whether it was hijack or not unless the interrogation is complete.

Civil Aviation Secretary M Madhavan Nambiar said that passengers who made the threat were being questioned by authorities amid reports that one of them may be in an inebriated conditions.

OneIndia News ( With inputs from Agencies)