Christmas Eve, 1999. Indian Airlines Flight 814, en route from Nepal to India, was taken over by a group of armed men. The plane zigzagged to Lahore, Pakistan, then to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and, finally, to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. One passenger was stabbed to death; several others were wounded.

Taliban fighters ringed the plane to prevent any rescue attempt by Indian Special Forces. After a weeklong stand-off, the government in New Delhi agreed to release three militants. And that was the end of the ordeal … except it wasn’t.