Bholanath and Devendra Pandey

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Indian Airlines Flight 410
Indian Airlines Boeing 737-2A8; VT-EGE, December 1998 BUI (5404996252).jpg
An Indian Airlines Boeing 737-200, similar to the aircraft involved in the hijack
Hijacking
Date20 December 1978 (1978-12-20)
SummaryAircraft hijacking
SiteVaranasi Airport, Uttar Pradesh, India
25°27′08″N 082°51′34″E / 25.45222°N 82.85944°E / 25.45222; 82.85944Coordinates: 25°27′08″N 082°51′34″E / 25.45222°N 82.85944°E / 25.45222; 82.85944
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 737-200
OperatorIndian Airlines
IATA flight No.IC410
Flight originCalcutta Airport
DestinationAmausi Airport
Occupants132 (including the hijackers)
Passengers126
Crew6
Fatalities0

Bholanath Pandey and Devendra Pandey on December 20, 1978 hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 410, en-route on a domestic flight from Calcutta to Lucknow, and forced it land at Varanasi. They demanded the release of Indira Gandhi (who had been arrested after The Emergency) and the withdrawal of all the cases against her son Sanjay Gandhi.[1] They carried only toy weapons. After keeping 130 passengers and crew hostage in the Boeing 737-200 for some hours, they surrendered in the presence of media.

The Indian National Congress party rewarded them with party tickets for the 1980 state assembly election; both won the election and became members of the legislative assembly of Uttar Pradesh. Bhola served as a Congress MLA from 1980 to 1985 and 1989 to 1991 from Ballia and Devendra remained a member of the house for two terms.

Devendra resigned from the party as a general secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. Bhola Pandey also became general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress and secretary of the Indian National Congress. Bhola Pandey unsuccessfully contested the 1991, 1996, 1999, 2004, 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Salempur as a Congress candidate. Devendra never served the party as a general secretary ever again of Uttar Pradesh. He is now preparing for the Sultanpur constituency in the hope of a Congress ticket in the next elections.

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References[]

  1. ^ Kishin R. Wadhwaney (2005). Indian Airports (Shocking Ground Realities). Diamond Pocket Books. p. 124. ISBN 978-81-288-0872-2. Retrieved 28 July 2011.

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