Business class flyer’s hijack hoax lands him in jail for life and a fine of 50 million rupees

Guwahati: An Indian passenger, who had created an unnecessary hijack panic in a Jet Airways India Ltd. flight which was flying from Mumbai to New Delhi, is sentenced life in jail by an Indian court. The accused passenger, Birju Kishor Salla is also ordered to pay a fine of 50 million rupees.

Reportedly, this was an incident of 2017 when the passenger, traveling through a Jet Airways India Ltd. flight to New Delhi from Mumbai had intentionally disrupted in 2017, was found guilty of intentionally disrupting the operations of an aircraft on board.

The note that Salla wrote in the aircraft’s toilet reads thus, “Flight No. 9W 339 is covered by hijackers and aircraft should not be land and flown straight to POK." The note was written in a tissue paper box and by the term POK, Salla meant the part of the disputed state of Kashmir which is said as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. What is more, he even vowed that he will start killing people if his directions are not followed.

This is also being reported by a leading newspaper that Salla might want to ground the airline with an intention of wooing a stewardess whom he wanted to hire.

As per the verdict of the court, of the 50 million rupee fines charged on him, an approx amount of Rs 97,000 will be paid to the pilots of the flight, the passengers on board will receive 25,000 each and the crew members will get around 50,000 each.

According to the 2016 amended rules, a person is liable to be punished with a compulsory death penalty if a hijack attempt results in the death of a hostage or security personnel. However, as Salla had only threatened it and the pilot succeeded in landing the flight in the western airport of Ahmedabad with no passenger or crew being harmed, he is relieved from the death penalty.

Also read: Anti-hijacking mock drill held at LGBI Airport