What happened to Wing Commander Abhinandan after returning from Pakistan? IAF banned him from flying fighter planes due to...
Wing Commander Abhinandan
New Delhi: Following the ceasefire, the rising tensions between India and Pakistan have started to ease. On Wednesday, Pakistan released the Indian BSF (Border Security Force) soldier Purnam Kumar Sahu from its custody. To recall, BSF soldier Purnam Kumar Sahu mistakenly crossed into Pakistani territory when the tensions between the two countries were at its peak following the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Pakistani Rangers detained him from the international border. Now, about 20 days later, on May 14, Pakistan has returned BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Sahu to India.
It is important to note that India had also detained a Pakistani Rangers personnel near the Indian border in Rajasthan during the same period. India handed over the Pakistani Ranger in exchange for the return of the Indian BSF soldier.
Prior to this, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman had also mistakenly crossed into Pakistan, and Pakistan eventually returned him to India. This latest incident has once again sparked conversations around Wing Commander Abhinandan, with people wanting to know what happened to him after his return from Pakistan. How Wing Commander Abhinandan Reached Pakistan
Wing Commander Abhinandan joined the military in 2004. His father also served in the Air Force, and his brother is also part of the same force. After the Pulwama terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Abhinandan participated in the Balakot airstrike. When the Pakistani Air Force attempted to infiltrate Indian airspace, he shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet using his MiG-21 Bison aircraft. However, during intense aerial combat, his MiG-21 was also shot down, and he ended up in Pakistan-occupied territory.
However, two days later, on March 1, 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan was released. Pakistan returned him under the Geneva Convention, which mandates that prisoners of war must be repatriated to their home countries after the conflict ends. Here are some of the key details: Wing Commander Abhinandan was first taken by the Indian Air Force's medical team for a thorough check-up after returning from Pakistan
This examination was conducted to ensure that he had not suffered any physical injuries, was not administered any drugs, and had not been subjected to mental or physical torture.
Following this, Wing Commander Abhinandan was formally handed back to the Indian Air Force.
However, after his return from Pakistan, he was temporarily barred from flying fighter jets.
This was because he had sustained injuries while ejecting from his aircraft, and thus, he was grounded for some time.
According to reports, he remained grounded for several months, but after about six months, he resumed flying fighter jets. A medical evaluation was conducted by an Air Force institute, and once he was cleared, Wing Commander Abhinandan was permitted to fly again.
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