Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was officially handed over to a team of Indian security officials at the Wagah border on Friday night. It was after a long wait of 60 hours in Pakistan. Before being officially handed over, our brave soldier was seen calmly and proudly walking alongside Pakistani officials with a confident expression on his face. He looked smart adorning a navy blue blazer, white shirt and grey trousers. He was then handed over to Indian security officers at the Zero line that marks the Indian and Pakistan land border. According to officials, his first words were, “It is good to be back in my country” and he smiled as he stepped on Indian soil. A true hero indeed!

He was then taken away by the officials for a detailed medical check-up, keeping in mind the immense stress his body would’ve taken after being ejected from the plane.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted these words, “Welcome Home Wing Commander Abhinandan! The nation is proud of your exemplary courage. Our armed forces are an inspiration for 130 crore Indians. Vande Mataram!"

“Documentation” was cited as the main reason for the delay in the entire process of handing Abhinandan Varthaman over. He was also made to record a video message however it’s still not clear whether the video was recorded under duress.

India wanted to fly back the Wing Commander on a special Air Force Plane from Pakistan instead of taking him over at the Wagah border. Keeping in mind the pilot’s health condition, India also didn’t want to expose Abhinandan to the swarm of media and the huge congregation of people. The retreat ceremony was also canceled. The Pakistani government, however, refused to meet this demand. Before his arrival complete sanitation of the area took place.

Euphoric Atmosphere at Wagah Border

There was an atmosphere of complete excitement and jubilation at the Attari-Wagah border on Friday morning. People began gathering at the Attari Joint Check Post from 6 am onwards. They waived Indian flags and some of them adorned caps captioned with the words ‘I Love India.’ There were others who smeared the Indian flag on their faces using paint.

Amidst heavy security, reporters and journalists were present in the location to cover the spectacular event. There were at least 500 police personnel from the Punjab police at the Wagah border. In addition, there were personnel from the BSF and Indian commandos who were lined near the entrance of the gate.

Earlier on Thursday, a rare sight was witnessed on a Delhi bound plane. People hardly rushed towards the exit which is the general norm when a plane reaches its final destination. It was all because Abhinandan’s parents were onboard.

There was cheering on the plane, passengers clapped when they realized that Abhinandan’s parents were onboard. The Wing Commander’s parents greeted everyone on the plane with a smile on their anxious faces. The parents were given a standing ovation and were allowed to disembark first who had come there to welcome their son.

The Wing Commander fell into the Pakistan territory in the Liam valley after a fierce air combat with Pakistani F-16 aircraft. Pakistan decided to release Abhinandan Varthaman as a “peace gesture” and their prime aim now is to focus on de-escalation.

How was Abhinandan Varthaman captured?

Horran’s village Chief Mohammed Razzaq Chaudhry told BBC that he quickly rushed to the spot where the jet had crashed. Chief Mohammed Razzaq Chaudhry who is affiliated to Imran Khan’s party told that he heard the pilot ask one of the locals whether this was India or Pakistan to which a young boy replied “Yes.” “He unbuckled himself from his parachute and raised patriotic slogans but the boys around him responded by saying, “Long live Pakistan!” That is when the pilot pulled out his gun and fired in the air to scare them."

The crowd by then had become aggressive and began to hurl stones at him. Next, the pilot was seen running while shooting more shots in the air. The pilot, however, fell into a stream and Chaudhry’s nephew shot him in the leg. "My nephew asked him to drop his pistol, which he did. Then someone else caught him and pinned him down to prevent him from using any other weapon that he might have." He tried to swallow important documents but the locals were able to grab some of the papers which were later handed over to the army. The aggressive crowd moved closer to the pilot to hurt him further, however, they were stopped in time by Chaudhry’s boys. He was later handed over to the Pakistani army.

Abhinandan Varthaman will always be remembered for his fierce air combat skills, his presence of mind, patience, courage, calm temperament and grit to handle such a high-pressure situation amid heavy tension. When Abhinandan crossed the border yesterday night one could clearly see the dark scar around his eye. These scars are a strong reminder to all of us of what the brave soldier has been through for the sake and love of his nation. It is also a symbol that tells us what it means to be a “true soldier.” The nation salutes this hero and we wish him all the best in the years to follow.