Union Cabinet grants approval for Anti-Hijacking Bill 2014

NEW DELHI: A Bill seeking stringent punishment including death penalty for hijackers was approved by the Union Cabinet tonight.

The government will now withdraw the Anti-Hijacking Amendment Bill, 2010 and introduce a new legislation.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted its approval for introduction of the comprehensive Anti-Hijacking Bill 2014, an official release said here.

The current law, the Anti-Hijacking Act, 1982, was last amended in 1994.

The Cabinet has also given approval to ratify Beijing Protocol, 2010 of the UN body International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to which India is a signatory, the release said.

The Anti-Hijacking Amendment Bill, 2010 was brought after incidents like the hijack of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 in 1999 and the September 11, 2001 terror strikes in the United States, reflecting major threats like civilian aircraft being hijacked and used as missiles to cause mass destruction.