Mystery Of Black Briefcase & 2 Red Bags In ‘IC 814 Kandahar Hijacking’

Even 25 years after the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814, several mysteries remain unresolved, particularly regarding a black briefcase and two red bags involved in the incident. These elements played a significant role in what became the longest hijacking in India’s aviation history, and they continue to add layers of intrigue to the case.

The hijacking, a dramatic event that captivated the nation through its fledgling news channels, has been brought back into the public eye with Anubhav Sinha’s series “IC 814 — The Kandahar Hijack,” now streaming on Netflix.

One of the red bags, or possibly a red suitcase according to some accounts, was checked into the cargo hold of IC 814 by the terrorists at Kathmandu’s International Airport. This bag was rumored to contain explosives, which prompted the Indian government to proceed with extreme caution during the crisis.

Whether it contained RDX or grenades remains unconfirmed, although former Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh sheds some light on this in his book In Service of Emergent India — A Call to Honor.

The second red bag, carried by Jaswant Singh while accompanying the three terrorists set to be released in Kandahar, also remains a mystery. The contents of this bag led to calls from the Congress party for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe.

Adding to the intrigue is a black briefcase carried by Indian officials on the flight to Kandahar, which reportedly contained $100,000 intended for refueling expenses in Kandahar.

The hijacking began on December 24, 1999, when IC 814 was en route from Kathmandu to Delhi. The plane, carrying 191 passengers and 15 crew members, was commandeered shortly after entering Indian airspace. The hijackers initially demanded the plane be flown to Kabul but were forced to divert to Amritsar and later to Dubai and Kandahar.

After six harrowing days, the passengers were freed following the release of three terrorists. However, the mystery surrounding the red bags and black briefcase remains unsolved, leaving the IC 814 hijacking shrouded in enigma.