IC 814 hijack hero Captain Devi Sharan once spooked by ‘haunted’ UAE hotel, reveals new book

Captain Devi Sharan, the pilot in charge of the Indian Airlines flight IC 814 that was hijacked in December 1999 while flying from Kathmandu to Delhi, had many years later complained of ghosts in a hotel in UAE where he was staying, a new book has revealed.

The IC 814 hijackers who eventually demanded the release of three jailed terrorists – Masood Azhar, Omar Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar – in exchange for about 150 hostages, had directed Captain Sharan to fly the aircraft to a series of locations, including Amritsar, Lahore, and Dubai. Ultimately, they forced Captain Sharan to land the plane in Kandahar, Afghanistan which was then under Taliban control.

Captain Sharan, who faced seven harrowing days in the company of armed hijackers during that hijack, earned the prestigious ‘Safe Skies Award’ for his bravery. But many years later, the celebrated captain was rattled by ghostly rumours surrounding a hotel in Sharjah, UAE that was often used by airline staff during flight layovers, according a the latest book, ‘The Maz Files: Scoops, Scams And Showdowns.’

Captain Devi Sharan's letter to the hotel

“In April 2007, my photographer colleague, Sankha Kar, and I embarked on an interesting adventure, checking into a hotel that had gained notoriety for being haunted. Our curiosity led us to the Holiday Inn on Sharjah’s King Faisal Road, intrigued by the disquieting accounts from Indian pilots, including the renowned Captain Devi Sharan," reads the book by Dubai-based investigative journalist Mazhar Farooqui who worked in Gulf News those days.

"Late one evening, I managed to obtain a copy of the letter Captain Sharan had written to the hotel, detailing the hauntings. I promptly contacted Anand Kumar Pande, the UAE country manager, who confirmed receiving the letter but remained tightlipped about its contents,” reads the book published by ‘Westland Books’ and launched in Delhi at a function held at India Habitat Centre in Delhi on September 2.

‘IC 814 - The Kandahar Hijack’

The hijacking is in the news these days after the release of Netflix series a ‘IC-814 The Kandahar Hijack.’ Directed by Anubhav Sinha the based on the 1999 hijacking of an Indian aircraft was released on Netflix on August 29. Vijay Varma plays Captain Devi Sharan in the series.

The series adapted from the book ‘Flight into Fear: A Captain’s Story by Captain Devi Sharan and Srinjoy Chowdhury’ had landed in a row after the many users on social media and leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the makers of allegedly shifting the blame away from Pakistani terrorists involved in the 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines flight.

The Netflix Content Head has been summoned on September 3 by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (IB Ministry), over the controversy surrounding the 'IC814' web series, ANI reported citing sources.

“We eventually didn't spot anything but the fact that the five star hotel had spooked pilots had caused a stir in the media. Sharan had written the letter to the hotel claiming hauntings as well as poor food and service,” Farooqui said at the Delhi event.