Opinion 40 years ago January 21, 1986: Death for three hijackers
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on January 21, 1986.
This is the front page of The Indian Express published on January 21, 1986. Three Sikh hijackers were awarded death sentences and seven were given life imprisonment by special judge Fazal Karim for their involvement in the hijacking of two Indian Airlines flights to Lahore in September 1981 and July 1984. Four of the nine hijackers involved in the 1984 incident were acquitted by the court as their complicity in the offence was not established. Those given death sentences were Parminder Singh Harfanmaula, leader of the hijackers in the 1984 case, and his accomplices Dalip Singh and Harminder Singh.
Union Cabinet induction
The Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, inducted into the Union Cabinet P Shiv Shankar as Minister of Commerce and Chandra Shekhar Singh as Minister of State of Petroleum. P A Sangma, Minister of State of Home Affairs, will now hold independent charge of the labour ministry. These appointments follow the resignations of Arjun Singh, Nawal Kishore Sharma and T Anjiah.
PM on Kashmir issue
The Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, said in New Delhi that India would take up with Pakistan each issue separately while at the same time viewing the results in totality. At an informal chat with newsmen after the swearing in at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Gandhi said India’s position on Kashmir was very clear and indicated there was no going back on it.
India, Pak to repatriate detainees
India and Pakistan have decided to repatriate by March 31 each other’s civilian detainees who have completed their prison terms. More than 800 Indian civilian detainees are estimated to be in Pakistan.
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