IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack has been buzzing on social media both for the right and wrong reasons. While the makers have successfully created a buzz around IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, at the same time they are facing flak for showing changed names of the terrorists involved in the hijack. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is a true story based on the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu (Nepal) to New Delhi by five terrorists. IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is 6 episodes limited series that features Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Vijay Varma, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Arvind Swamy, Dia Mirza, Amrita Puri, Patralekha and more in the leading roles. Notably, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry recently summoned Netflix India's content head. Thereafter, the streaming giant updated the disclaimer at the start of the series outlining the real names of the terrorists along with their code-names.
Keeping the controversy aside, among the many questions related to the IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack true story, one is who was the Indian Intelligence Agency- RAW Head when the terrorists hijacked the Indian Airlines flight. Below is all about 'IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack RAW Head'-
Who was RAW Head during the IC 814 Hijack?
Actor Aditya Srivastava plays the character of VK Agarwal, who is the head of RAW in IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. In real life, then RAW Head was A S Daulat. A S Dulat served as the head of India’s intelligence agency 'RAW' from 1999 to 2000. Following his retirement, he was appointed as an advisor on Kashmir in the Prime Minister’s Office, where he served from January 2001 to May 2004 after his retirement as the RAW chief.
Post his retirement, Daulat became a writer. In 2015, A S Daulat authored a book- Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years. In 2018, he co-authored The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace with Asad Durrani, former head of the Inter-Services Intelligence. As per reports, A S Dulat has criticised Ajit Doval, the National Security Advisor, by calling him "hawkish" for his hardline position on handling border disputes with China.
Interestingly, in January 2024, A S Daulat joined Rahul Gandhi in his Bharat Jodo Yatra as well.
What did A S Daulat say on the Kandahar Hijack?
Daulat in an interview with a news portal revealed, "Once the plane landed in Amritsar, we had a chance to ensure that it did not leave Indian territory. But when it left Amritsar, there was no other option but to make a deal." He further said, "No decision was taken. I have said this many times, even when the incident happened. There was a lapse in Amritsar."
The former RAW chief spoke about his long conversation with the then Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Sarabjit Singh on the hijacking situation. He said, "I had a long conversation with the Punjab DGP, who told me that he is not KPS Gill and he is not going to put his job at stake. He said that the Chief Minister (Parkash Singh Badal) told him that he did not want bloodshed in Amritsar. Delhi was also indicating the same."
Notably, then Punjab DGP, now a retired officer, Sarabjeet Singh while talking to a news portal said, "We had considered blowing off the tires of the aircraft and even sent a fuel bowser with two IAF personnel in disguise to do this. But then it was certain that the hijackers would resort to killing the passengers in case anything of this sort was done…I could not speak to CM Parkash Singh Badal directly but a message was conveyed to me from him that nothing should be done to cause bloodshed."