Jalandhri is executed by Tavleen

The execution of Jalandhri by Tavleen is the first killing among the hostages aboard the Bostan. On the 110th day of the crisis, Tavleen presented it as a sacrifice after the hijackers’ repeated ultimatums had gone unanswered, turning their threat into an irreversible act and a warning to those still aboard.

Background and Selection

Tavleen said the hijackers’ patience was exhausted and declared that it was time for a first sacrifice. Jalandhri was singled out not at random: he had abandoned the turban and cut his hair, a choice that made the hijackers regard him as an apostate and traitor to his faith. His appearance thus became the basis for a severe religious judgment, and the first hostage selected for execution.

The Execution

Tavleen pronounced Jalandhri’s sentence and ordered the crew to prepare for take-off, saying she did not intend to risk an assault on the plane after the execution. She pushed him toward the open door at the front of the aircraft. The other hostages did not intervene; one hostage, Man Singh, turned away. Tavleen shot Jalandhri at the doorway, and he fell onto the tarmac. She then shut the door.

Immediate Aftermath

Man Singh challenged Tavleen over what could happen next, fearing that commandos would be sent in. Tavleen answered by describing martyrdom as a privilege and likening the dead to stars and the sun. Her response recast the killing in the language of sacrifice, while Man Singh’s question registered the immediate practical consequence for the remaining hostages: the execution had made their danger more direct, not less.