Indian Airlines Flight 814 (abbreviated IA-814) was a flight that flew from Kathmandu, Nepal's Tribhuvan International Airport to Delhi, India's Indira Gandhi International Airport. It was hijacked on Christmas Eve, Friday, December 24, 1999, shortly after the aircraft entered Indian airspace at about 5:30 p.m. Indian Standard Time by five Pakistani nationals. The hijackers stabbed to death 25-year-old Rupin Katyal. Ultimately, the plane landed in Afghanistan, where the hijackers agreed to release their hostages in exchange for the release of Maulana Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, and Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh. The Indian Airlines (now renamed as 'Indian') flight 814 (VT-EDW) was hijacked on the eve of Christmas on Friday, December 24, 1999, shortly after the aircraft entered Indian airspace at about 5:30 p.m. Indian Standard Time. The identities of the hijackers were 1. Ibrahim Athar from Bahawalpur, Pakistan  2. Shahid Akhtar Sayed from Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan  3. Sunny Ahmed Qazi from Defence Area, Karachi, Pakistan  4. Mistri Zahoor Ibrahim from Akhtar Colony, Karachi, Pakistan  5. Shakir from Sukkur City  Anil Sharma, senior flight steward on IC-814, later recalled that a masked, bespectacled threatened to blow up the plane with a bomb and ordered Captain Devi Sharan to "fly West". The hijackers wanted Captain Sharan to divert the aircraft over Lucknow and head towards Lahore, but Pakistani authorities quickly refused permission as they were wary of being linked with the terrorists. Also, the fuel was not sufficient. Captain Sharan told the hijackers that they have to land in Amritsar, India After landing at Amritsar, the flight crew were hoping that they will get some assistance and the hijacking will end. They asked for a sniper or a sharpshooter to go along with the browser and shoot at the tyres to disable the aircraft. But, for unknown reasons that could't happen. The local forces at Amritsar were told to wait for the National Security Guard. The hijackers asked for the plane to be refueled, the Indian Government agreed as it would have given it some time to formulate some strategy. But as the refueling was deliberately delayed by the Indian Government, after waiting for over 25 minutes, the hijackers became suspicious and ordered the captain to fly the plane to Pakistan. When the captain didn't comply, they threatened to kill all the passengers. They stabbed 25-year Mr. Rupin Katyal in chest a number of times. Rupin Katyal was returning from his honeymoon with his wife Rachna Katyal. At this stage, a helpless Captain Sharan realized that there was no action from ATC, the Indian Government or the security forces; "the browser was not coming in front of the aeroplane and nothing was happening". He decided to fly to Lahore without refuelling. As the plane was running very low of fuel, on Indian government's request, Pakistan allowed the plane to be landed and refueled. Three hours after landing, the plane took off towards Afghanistan but as none of the airports were equipped for night landings, it was diverted to the military base Al Minhat in the United Arab Emirates. During this flight, Mr. Rupin Katyal passed away. After landing, the hijackers were asked to release women and children in exchange for some more fuel, food and water. Some 25 passengers were released along with the body of Mr. Rupin Katyal.

Initial demand by the hijackers
The hijackers initially demanded the release Mohammad Masood Azhar, who is currently serving jail sentence in India for terrorist activities. Azhar is a Pakistani national and is the General Secretary and ideologue of the Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM), an organization based in Pakistan which was in October 1997 designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States Department of State.  The HUM was re-designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the State Department in its latest list released on October 8, 1999
Latest demands by the hijackers 
The hijackers of the Indian Airlines flight IC – 814 have demanded the release of 35 other jailed terrorists besides Mohammad Masood Azhar and US $200 million for the release of 154 hostages. The hijackers have also demanded that the body of Harkat-ul-Ansar chief in Jammu & Kashmir Sajjad Afghani be exhumed and the coffin be handed over to them. 
According to news reports, the hijackers have dropped their demands for a $200 million ransom and the exhumed remains of Afghan terrorist Sajjad Afghani (06:30 AM EST, December 29, 1999).
 

Final Solution India released 3 terrorists for the exchange of the Indian Airlines passengers. Summary of External Affairs Minister's comments at a press briefing - December 27, 1999.  The Government of India continues to monitor the situation.  The Government has shared with the leaders of political parties in India information on developments in respect of the hijacking of flight IA-814. The leaders of political parties said that since developments were taking place at a fast pace, it was for the Government to decide on shapes should be taken.  The safety and security of the passengers and crew and, above all, the national interest of the country remain the two main elements of India's approach. The meeting condoled the sad and regrettable death by stabbing of Shri  Rupin Katyal.  An airplane with essential materials, doctors, relief crew and a negotiating team is in the process of leaving for Kandhar. It was our expectation that the aircraft will leave for Kandhar within the next 2-3 hours.  In the course of the last two days EAM had contacted his counterparts in several countries including Australia, Russia, Canada, Great Britain, USA, Switzerland, Italy, Bangladesh and Nepal to seek their active cooperation on humanitarian grounds.  In response to questions, EAM said the following:  The Government was aware of reports of the deadline apparently  set by the hijackers. Our direct contacts with them will enable us to know the exact nature of their demands. The relief aircraft would have gone yesterday but for procedural difficulties not on account of the Government of India. The cooperation we are  receiving from the US administration is totally satisfactory. EAM has been in touch with his counterpart in Pakistan. The Pakistani reaction was that whatever they do will be within the four corners of the law and transparent.