Abhinandan Varthaman undergoes debriefings

New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman on Sunday underwent debrie-fings by security agencies even as his medical check-up continued for the second day at a military hospital here, officials said. A number of senior Indian Air Force (IAF) officers also met Wg. Cdr. Varthaman who was brought to Delhi after he returned to India from Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah border late Friday night.

Wg. Cdr. Varthaman also underwent several medical tests as part of a cooling down process, the officials said. "Efforts have been made to ensure that he returns to the cockpit soon," a military official said. The IAF pilot was captured by the Pakistani Army on Wednesday after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during aerial combat. He downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit.

Wg. Cdr. Varthaman arrived in the national capital by an IAF flight around 11.45 pm Friday, nearly two-and-half hours after he crossed over to India through the Attari-Wagah border. The IAF pilot was first taken to the Air Force Central Medical Establishment (AFCME), a compact and specialised medical evaluation centre for the aircrew of all the three services. Later he was brought to the Army's Research and Referral Hospital.

After he was captured, Wg. Cdr. Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affa-irs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and the people in general. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa met Wg. Cdr. Varthaman separately on Saturday during which he apprised them about the mental trauma he was subjected to during his captivity in Pakistan.

During the meeting, the defence minister commended him on his valour and expressed the nation’s gratitude for his selfless service.

The officials said Wg. Cdr. Varthaman has been in high spirits despite the harassment he suffered in Pakistan.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bom-bed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest trai-ning camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan early Tuesday.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations on Wednesday. Howe-ver, the IAF thwarted its plans. The strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 soldiers.