NEW DELHI. Dec 31 : India has started deploying anti-hijack squads on both Its domestic and International carriers flying "sensitive" routes, the Hindustan Times reported today. says AFP.

Top officials told the dally that "sky marshals" were put on eight International flights from India to the Middle East. Bangkok and Colombo on Friday.

'The new arrangement covers 22 domestic and International sectors which the civil aviation ministry had shortlisted in consultation with the ministry of home affairs and the Bureau of Civil Aviation and Security." a source said.

An Indian Airlines plane

was hHacked on Christmas Eve. shortly after take-off from Kathmandu.

The plane was still parked Friday with 160 hostages in the southern Afghanistan town of Kandahar, as negotiations with the hijackers showed no signs of a breakthrough.

Indian Airlines has already suspended flights to Nepal following the hijack while international carrier Air India Is also beefing up security checks.

Officials said anti-hijack personnel would be deployed in the domestic sector in flights to Insurgency-ridden states such as the northern Himalayan state of Kashmir and the troubled north-eastern provinces of Assam and Manipur.