Indian Airlines Flight 405

Indian Airlines Flight 405 hijacking

Company type	Hijacking incident
Industry	Aviation
Founded	July 5, 1984 (1984-07-05)
Fate	Hijackers surrendered on 6 July 1984
Area served	India, Pakistan
Key people	Parminder Singh Saini (hijacker)
Products	Passenger air transport (affected flight)

On 5 July 1984, a group of nine hijackers equipped with firearms, knives, and a counterfeit explosive took control of Indian Airlines Flight 405, an Airbus A300 operating a domestic journey from Srinagar Airport to Delhi-Palam Airport. The aircraft was redirected to Lahore Airport in Pakistan, carrying 254 passengers along with 10 crew members.

The hijackers' demands included the liberation of Sikh detainees held following Operation Blue Star, financial restitution amounting to million for damages incurred during that operation, and the restitution of items purportedly taken from the Golden Temple. When their conditions were not fulfilled, they surrendered to Pakistani officials on July 6.

This hijacking incident was connected to the Khalistan separatist movement active in Punjab, India. The perpetrators voiced their allegiance to Khalistan, advocating for the establishment of an independent Sikh nation.

Parminder Singh Saini

Parminder Singh Saini, linked to the Khalistan movement, was responsible for hijacking Indian Airlines Flight 405 in 1984, diverting it from Srinagar and New Delhi toward Lahore. He received a death sentence in Pakistan but was freed after serving ten years.

Using the name Balbir Singh, Saini later immigrated to Canada, where he completed legal studies and sought admission to the bar. His application was rejected due to the gravity of his past offense and failure to fully disclose information. After residing in Canada for 15 years, he was deported in 2010. Subsequent legal efforts to re-enter Canada were denied by the courts.

See also

• List of hijackings of Indian aeroplanes#1980s
• List of aircraft hijackings#1980s
• List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by location#India
• List of accidents and incidents involving airliners by airline (D–O)#I
• List of accidents and incidents involving commercial aircraft#1984