Indian Airlines — Flight IC410

Indian Airlines Flight 410 was hijacked by two men, Bholanath Pandey and Devendra Pandey, shortly before its scheduled landing at Delhi Palam Airport. The hijackers, who claimed to be members of the Indian Youth Congress, were armed only with a toy gun and a cricket ball. They demanded the release of Indira Gandhi and the withdrawal of charges against her son, Sanjay Gandhi. After diverting the aircraft to Varanasi and engaging in a standoff, the hijackers surrendered on the morning of December 21, 1978, after dozens of passengers escaped via an evacuation slide.

Aircraft

Boeing 737-200

Registration

—

Phase

Cause

Souls on Board

132

Fatalities

Origin → Dest

Calcutta Airport via Amausi Airport, Lucknow → Lucknow-Amausi Airport (intended leg destination)

Report

Investigation Summary

The hijacking of Flight 410 was a politically motivated act occurring during a period of significant unrest following the Indian Emergency. The hijackers, Bholanath and Devendra Pandey, seized control of the Boeing 737-200 as it approached Delhi. They initially attempted to divert the flight to Nepal and then Bangladesh, but the flight crew refused both requests, citing insufficient fuel reserves. The aircraft eventually landed at Varanasi Airport, where the hijackers used the onboard radio to broadcast their political demands to the Janata Party government. The standoff lasted through the night, during which one passenger managed to escape undetected. The situation resolved on the morning of December 21 when the hijackers allowed the rear doors to be opened to alleviate stuffy cabin conditions. This triggered the deployment of the evacuation slides, facilitating the escape of 60 passengers and leading to the hijackers' surrender.

Final Conclusions

The event concluded with no fatalities or injuries to the 126 passengers and 6 crew members. The hijackers were initially prosecuted, but all charges were dropped in 1980 after the Indian National Congress returned to power. Both hijackers subsequently transitioned into political careers, serving multiple terms in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Video Analysis

No video analysis linked for this case file yet.

Systems & Failure Modes

Evacuation Slide

Inflatable slides deployed from the rear fuselage doors, which allowed 60 passengers to escape the aircraft during the standoff.

Aircraft Radio

Used by the hijackers to communicate their political demands to government authorities on the ground at Varanasi.

Interesting Facts

01The hijackers were armed only with a toy gun and a cricket ball.
02All 132 occupants survived the incident without injury.
03The hijackers were rewarded with political party tickets by the Indian National Congress in 1980.
04Both hijackers eventually served as members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly.

Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions

Political Rehabilitation of Hijackers

Reference ↗

The decision by the Indian National Congress to drop criminal charges and field the hijackers as legislative candidates in 1980 remains a significant point of historical and political discussion in India.