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The mysterious call of Dec 24

Onkar Singh in New Delhi

Cabinet Secretary Prabhat Kumar has asked intelligence agencies to look into a hoax call made to the administrators of the Amritsar international airport on the evening of December 24 when the hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 was waiting to be refuelled.

Someone identified himself as G Lal, joint secretary in the ministry of home affairs, and asked the officials to refuel the plane forthwith.

When the airport officials called back for confirmation, they were told that no official by the name of G Lal worked with the home ministry. They were also asked not to refuel the plane.

The plane later took off without refuelling. It was finally provided fuel at the Dubai airport where some hostages -- mainly women and children -- were released before the plane flew to Kandahar in Afghanistan.

Though senior home ministry officials were quick to dismiss the call as a hoax then, pre-occupied as they were with the hijacking, they now want the matter double checked.

What has intrigued everybody is the timing of the call. The call was made minutes after the plane landed at the Raja Sansi airport. Except for those who were directly involved in dealing with the situation, not many were aware of the goings on at that point of time.

So, was there someone more informed than the top government officials?

NIGHTMARE ON FLIGHT 814
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