PANAM flight 73: victims Neerja Bhanot’s kin hope for justice from Obama

CHANDIGARH - The kin of Neerja Bhanot, one among the Indian victims of the PANAM 73 flight that was hijacked in 1986 are hoping that justice would be rendered to them when the US President Barrack Obama visits India.

Talking to reporters here on Friday, Akhil Bhanot, brother of Neerja Bhanot said he felt that President Obama has the personality and resilience to resolve the long held justice due to the dependants of the PANAM hijacked flight.

“Yes, we are very hopefull because of Obama’s reputation. He does give that general feeling and with the media stepping in I am sure that the voice must reach him and I am very sure that in case it reaches to him, he will definitely give a notice,” he added.

He said there has been a bias on the part of the US administration despite of the fact that it was Indians who saved lives of many passengers irrespective of nationality.

“They are compensating only Americans because the Indians were very major part of that entire episode. The Americans were the captains and the co-pilot who ran away once the hijack took place. They did not participate; they were sitting in air-conditioned cabins somewhere, when the Indians were going through all this tension. I could not understand the logic,” he said.

PANAM 73 was an American flight that was hijacked at Karachi airport while on its way to New York via Frankfurt on September 5 in 1986.

Neerja Bhanot was the flight attendant on this fateful day in PANAM 73, who died saving the lives of many and was later awarded the Ashok Chakra award. (ANI)