| Indian Airlines Flight 405 | |
| Occurrence Type: | Hijacking |
| Summary: | Terrorist hijacking |
| Site: | Lahore Airport, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Passengers: | 254 |
| Crew: | 10 |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft Type: | Airbus A300 |
| Operator: | Indian Airlines |
| Origin: | Srinagar Airport |
| Destination: | Palam Airport |
| Iata: | IC405 |
| Icao: | IAC405 |
| Occupants: | 264 (including 9 hijackers) |
On 5 July 1984, nine hijackers forced Indian Airlines Flight 405, an Airbus A300 on a domestic flight from Srinagar Airport to the Delhi-Palam Airport with 254 passengers and 10 crew on board, to be flown to Lahore Airport in Pakistan.[1]
The hijackers were armed with guns, daggers and a fake bomb. Their demands included the release of prisoners (all Sikhs arrested during Operation Blue Star), million for damage done during the Operation, and the return of items alleged to be stolen from the Golden Temple during the Operation. The demands of the hijackers were not met and they ultimately surrendered to Pakistani authorities on July 6.
The Press Trust of India quoted the hijackers as saying "Long Live Khalistan".[2] It was related to the secessionist struggle in the Indian state of Punjab, where Khalistani separatists were active. They demanded a separate country for Sikhs.[3]
Parminder Singh Saini immigrated to Canada under a false name (Balbir Singh). He fought deportation when his true identity was discovered, and stayed in Canada for 15 years, earning a law degree before he was deported in 2010. He was part of the Khalistan movement, a radical Sikh separatist movement in the Indian state of Punjab and hijacked an the Indian Airlines Flight 405 that was flying from Srinagar to New Delhi, forcing it to reroute to Lahore in 1984. At trial in Pakistan, he was sentenced to death in a trial, but released after ten years.[4] [5]
After entering and completing his law school education in Canada, Saini sought admission to practice as a lawyer. The application was refused, in part because of the serious and heinous nature of Saini's crime, but also because of a lack of candour on his part.[6]
After his deportation to India on charges of being involved in terrorist activities in 2010, Saini sought to return to Canada in 2011. His most recent application to the Federal Court was denied as well.[7]
Terrorist Barred From Practising. 35 January 2010. Lawtimes.