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The 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight 814 (IC 814) remains a chilling chapter in India's history. The event unfolded as the world celebrated the dawn of the new millennium, but for India, it was a harrowing experience filled with uncertainty and fear. For eight agonizing days, 154 passengers and crew members were held hostage by terrorists who demanded the release of three high-profile militants. While the world watched with bated breath, the hijackers negotiated with the Indian government, and the ordeal culminated in the release of the hostages, albeit with one tragic casualty – Rupin Katyal.
Rupin Katyal was an ordinary passenger who had boarded IC 814 in Kathmandu, Nepal, on his honeymoon with his wife, Rachna. What was supposed to be a joyous return flight to India turned into a nightmare when the plane was hijacked. Rupin's tragic fate was revealed in the Netflix series, 'IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,' which chronicles the events of the hijack. According to the series, Rupin was among the 10 passengers taken to the business class section of the plane by the hijackers. It was there that he was brutally murdered, stabbed multiple times. His body was later found in Dubai, where the hijacked plane had made a brief stopover.
The details of Rupin's death were chillingly documented in an FIR report published by Rediff. It revealed the extent of the violence he endured, with multiple stab wounds to his abdomen, chest, neck, face, and even an abrasion on his nose. His wife, Rachna, was kept in the dark about his fate during the hijack and even after their release. She was led to believe he was alive and in a hospital. The truth of Rupin's death was only revealed to her much later, after the funeral rites had been performed. Rachna's father-in-law, overwhelmed with grief, eventually showed her a photograph of Rupin, confirming the tragic reality.
Rupin Katyal's death highlights the human cost of terrorism and the trauma experienced by those caught in such events. The hijacking of IC 814 left an indelible mark on India's collective memory, a reminder of the vulnerability and the resilience of the nation. The story of Rupin Katyal serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of violence and the need for global cooperation to combat terrorism. His tragic death, though lost in the larger narrative of the hijack, continues to evoke empathy and sorrow, and serves as a somber reflection on the human cost of conflict.
Source: Who Was Rupin Katyal, the Lone Fatality of IC 814 Hijack, How He Died? Everything You Need To Know