New Delhi sources stated that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman of the Indian Air Force, who had ejected into Pakistan after his MiG-21 fighter jet had got hit on Wednesday morning, walked back into India across the Wagah-Attari border late on Friday evening, sending a wave of joy across the country.
Meanwhile he was handed over to the BSF at around 9.20 pm by the Pakistani Rangers. Furthermore Wing Commander Varthaman was expected to be released at 5.30 pm, but finally emerged at the Wagah check post on the Pakistani side at only at 9.10 pm, accompanied by the Indian air attach posted at the high commission in Islamabad and the director (India) at the Pakistan foreign office, Dr Fareha Bugti.
Air Vice-Marshal R.G.K. Kapoor, assistant chief of air staff, told reporters in a brief statement said “Wing Commander Abhinandan has just been handed over to us. He will be taken now for a detailed medical checkup and hence this checkup is mandatory as he had to eject from an aircraft which would have put his entire body under stress”. Reportedly after the checkup, the IAF plans to fly him to New Delhi. Wg Cdr Varthaman’s family is in Delhi. Sources said “As per process he will meet his family for a brief period and then will be taken for debriefing”.
