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The harrowing experience of the IC 814 hijacking in 1999 continues to resonate with those who were on board the flight. One such passenger, Pooja Kataria, from Chandigarh, still holds onto a poignant reminder of those traumatic days: a shawl gifted to her by one of the hijackers, whom she remembers by his code name 'Burger'.
Kataria, who was returning to India with her newly-wed husband from their honeymoon in Kathmandu, was among the 189 hostages held captive by members of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terror group. Initially unaware of the hijacking, Kataria found herself in a terrifying situation. As panic gripped the passengers, one of the hijackers, 'Burger', attempted to calm them down. On December 26, the day before Kataria's birthday, she pleaded with him to allow them to go home. In a moment of unexpected kindness, 'Burger' pulled out the shawl he was wearing and presented it to her as a birthday gift, a gesture that offered a flicker of hope amidst the despair.
Before leaving the plane, the hijackers announced their demands had been met. 'Burger' returned to Kataria and wrote a message on the shawl, despite her fear: 'To my dearest sister and her handsome husband... Burger 30/12/99'. While others may mock her for keeping the shawl, for Kataria, it symbolizes a second birth, a reminder of her survival. The inscription, a simple gesture of human connection in the midst of terror, serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
The incident with the shawl has gained renewed attention following the release of the Netflix series “IC-814 Kandahar Hijack”. The series utilizes the code names 'Bhola' and 'Shankar' for two of the hijackers, sparking controversy over the accuracy of the names. Kataria, however, defends the use of the code names, emphasizing that they were a part of the reality of the situation. She underscores the importance of using factual names based on real events.
The IC 814 hijacking was a significant event in India's history, leaving lasting scars on those who endured the ordeal. Kataria's story highlights the human impact of terrorism, the unexpected moments of kindness that can occur even in the darkest of times, and the enduring power of memory. The shawl, a seemingly simple object, holds within it a complex narrative of fear, resilience, and the lingering effects of a traumatic event.
Source: 'To my dearest sister:’ Chandigarh woman holds onto shawl IC 814 hijacker 'Burger' gifted her