Union cabinet clears new anti-hijacking bill

The union cabinet has cleared a comprehensive anti-hijack bill which provides a death penalty for hijackers even in the event of casualties.

The anti-hijacking bill

• Sixteen years after the Indian Airlines hijacking from Kathmandu to Kandahar, the Cabinet cleared tough measures to be added to the anti-hijacking bill 2014. The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• Besides broadening the definition of hijacking, the anti-hijacking bill 2015 provides enhanced punishments to the perpetrators, and widens the area of jurisdiction.

• The perpetrators of the act (hijacking) would now be punishable with a death penalty should the hijacking result in the death of any person. The act also provides for the confiscation of movable and immovable properties of the offenders.

• The definition of hijacking has been widened to include in its purview individuals acting in concert with hijackers.

• The anti-hijacking bill 2014, introduced in the Rajya Sabha in December last year, was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.

• In the earlier bill, hijackers could be awarded a death penalty only in the event of the death of hostages, such as flight crew, passengers and security personnel.

• The Parliamentary panel submitted its report in March 2015, suggesting various changes including making hoax calls a punishable offence and providing adequate compensation for victims of hijacking.

• The committee also asked the government to look at adequate definition of the terms hostage and security personnel.