Abhinandan didn’t lose his grit
New Delhi: Even as he stood blindfolded with hands tied behind his back and blood all over his face, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman didn’t lose his grit.
He stood upright surrounded by Pakistan Army personnel, who interrogated him. He told them that he was a flying officer of the Indian Air Force. “What’s your religion?” one of his interrogators asked him. He replied calmly that he was a Hindu.
The videos, which were apparently shot by Pakistan Army personnel and circulated on social media, show that Abhinandan remained calm and composed even when he was held captive.
When a Pakistan Army officer asked him another question— which was not audible in the video, Abhinandan replied boldly: “I am not supposed to tell you that.”
Abhinandan ejected when his MiG 21 Bison, according to Pakistan Army’s claim, was shot down by the fighter jets of the neighbouring country. He landed in the territory under control of Pakiatan.
The first video shows him being dragged out of a water body by a mob of Pakistani civilians. It also showed him being manhandled by some people before soldiers of Pakistan Army intervened and rescued him from the mob. He was then seen in a photograph sitting between two Pakistan Army soldiers with blood all over his face.
He was apparently taken to a Pakistan Army camp where he was interrogated.
A third video shows him sitting relaxed holding a cup of tea and talking with an unseen Pakistan Army officer. Asked if he is being treated well, Abhinandan replied: “Yes. I would like to put it on record and I would not change my statement when I would go back to my country. I have been treated well.”
He noted that he was very impressed by the way Pakistan Army officers treated him, right from the captain who rescued him from the mob. He was asked which part of India he hailed from.
“Am I supposes to tell you that Major?,” he wondered and replied: “I am from down south”.
He also thanked for the tea that his captors offered him.