It must have been a proud moment for her parents when she was posthumously honoured with the Ashok Chakra in 1987, but her absence in their lives would have hurt more than ever. The void she left in their lives must have made their hearts bleed. They lost a daughter, a loss that could never be replaced. Fifth September, 1986, was the day Neerja Bhanot, a model and a flight attendant, was killed in the Pan-Am-Flight-73-hijack and it’s a story India shall never forget.
“Neerja would talk about the training that Pan Am used to give, including what to do in case of a hijack", recalled Aneesh Bhanot, Neerja’s brother in an interview. Neerja Bhanot lived up to her promise. She fought to save lives till her last breath. Two days later, she would have turned 23. Here’s the story of how Neerja Bhanot, an ordinary 23-year-old girl, managed to save 360 lives on a hijacked flight and became the youngest recipient of Ashok Chakra, India’s highest peacetime military decoration award for valor, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the battlefield.
The day was 5th September 1986. The Pan Am Flight 73 was to depart from Karachi and fly to New York via Frakfurt. Neerja Bhanot was on board as the senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73 on that unfateful day. Four armed terrorists dressed as Karachi airport security guards boarded the aircraft at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The plane was hijacked. When Neerja Bhanot tried to alert the cockpit crew, the terrorist held her by her ponytail. She still managed to shout out a warning through a secret code. The cockpit crew escaped at once, as per their mandate, so the aircraft couldn’t be flown forcibly.
The terrorists threatened to shoot Rajesh Kumar, a passenger on the flight, if the cockpit crew wasn’t brought back to the aircraft in the next 15 minutes. Rajesh was shot dead, and his body thrown out of the plane. The cockpit crew was gone and the only person who could have saved the day was Neerja. She took charge and fought on, not for herself but for the 360 people trapped inside the aircraft. The terrorists held the cabin crew at gunpoint and ordered them to collect passports of the passengers. Knowing they’d shoot the Americans among them, Neerja swiftly hid their passports, even disposed some off the rubbish chute. There were 41 Americans on board, only two died.
Seventeen hours later, the terrorists opened fire. They were armed with assault rifles, pistols, grenades, and plastic explosive belts. Neerja Bhanot put aside all fears and took charge. She used her presence of mind to get to the emergency exit. No, she didn’t flee. She couldn’t. She was a patriot, she couldn’t see innocent men, women and children bleed at the hands of these terrorists. She opened the emergency exit and helped the passengers evacuate the aircraft. She was shot to death while protecting three children. She took a bullet to protect other people. She died fighting terrorism. She gave up her life shielding humanity. She lived a brave life, and died a hero. Twenty people died in that hijack. Neerja died so that 360 others could live.
Neerja was the kind of braveheart we only hear about in stories. Your sacrifice did not go to waste, Neerja. The nation will always remember you, as the brave young girl who punched terrorism in the face and emerged as a hero for generations to come. Respect!!!
Courtesy - TOI
