How Abhinandan Varthaman was captured, braved custody in Pakistan and returned home
India Today
Abhinandan Varthaman, then wing commander, was part of the Indian pushback team of Srinagar-based 51 Squadron. He was flying MiG-21 Bison - his father, Air Marshal (retd) Simhakutty Varthaman, also flew the MiG-21s. On Pakistan's side, advanced fighter jets, F-16s, were leading the charge.
The second half of February 2019 was an unusual time. Electioneering was peaking for the Lok Sabha polls when, on Valentine's Day (February 14), a suicide bomber targeted a convoy of the Central Reserve Police force (CRPF) on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
Forty soldiers lost their lives. The nation was shocked and the Opposition up in arms when it learnt that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shooting for a National Geographic documentary with ace host Bear Grylls.
