The limited series IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack on Netflix has reignited interest in one of India’s most harrowing aviation crises. Among the passengers of the ill-fated Indian Airlines flight IC 814, hijacked on December 24, 1999, was a name conspicuously absent from public records — Shashi Bhushan Singh Tomar. Tomar, the RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) station head in Kathmandu, occupied seat 16C but was a “ghost passenger” whose identity remained hidden to protect his life.
Tomar was returning to Delhi to visit his hospitalized wife when the plane was hijacked. As the station head responsible for monitoring terrorist activities in Nepal, his presence on the flight could have had dire consequences if revealed. Former RAW Chief AS Dulat confirmed Tomar’s presence, stating, “Had the hijackers known his identity, he would not have been spared.”
The series sheds light on the critical lapse in judgement by Tomar, who had dismissed an alert about a potential hijacking just days before the incident. Despite the error, Tomar faced no disciplinary action, reportedly due to his connections with powerful figures in the government.
Tomar’s identity was eventually exposed by Pakistan’s Foreign Office on December 27, 1999, but fortunately, he was released unharmed with the other passengers.
IC 814 – The Kandahar Hijack delves into this lesser-known aspect of the hijack, offering a gripping portrayal of the complexities and dangers faced by intelligence officers.
