Wing Commander, now Group Captain, Abhinandan Varthaman, today received the Vir Chakra for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet during an aerial combat on February 27, 2019, days after the Pulwama terror attack. On 26th February 2019, India retaliated with an air strike at terror camps in Balakot. A day later, Pakistan sent its jets which Wing Commander Varthaman shot down. In the process, he flew his MiG 21 over to Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.
He was captured by Pakistani forces. However, Pakistan Army was forced to release him due to pressure exerted by Indian side along with international intervention into the matter. On 28th February 2019, Pakistan PM Imran Khan announced that the country would release Wing Commander Varthaman as ‘peace gesture’ and on 1st March, 2019, he returned to India through the Wagah Border in Atari.
While in Pakistani captivity, he was mentally tortured before being handed over to India.
Wing Commander Varthaman was part of Srinagar based 51 squadron.