Released by Pak, IAF hero Abhinandan Varthaman returns home

Agencies
March 1, 2019

Chandigarh, Mar 1: Captured IAF pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman walked to freedom as he crossed into the Indian territory through the Wagah-Attari border in Punjab late on Friday evening after he was released by Pakistan. 

Dressed in a blue-grey suit, he was embraced by a senior BSF official at the border before crossing into the Indian side. In Pakistan army’s custody since Wednesday morning, the pilot’s hand over finally took place at around 9.20 pm after several postponements. Pakistan brought Abhinandan by road from Islamabad to Lahore and from there to the Wagah border. 

Abhinandan was taken for a medical examination soon after he was handed over by the Pakistani authorities. A heavily guarded convoy then escorted the officer from the border post to the Amritsar airport, from where he flew to New Delhi’s Palam airport.  

For hundreds of people, who had gathered to see the brave officer walk to freedom, celebrations started since morning.

The road leading to the border was a sea of flowing tricolour and chants of ‘Bharat mata Ki Jai,’ Vande Mataram rang out ceaselessly. Many patriots continued to stay put on roads in spite of the delay just to have a glimpse of the brave officer.

Abhinandan’s welcome was marked by the high decibel sound of celebratory ‘dhol’ and victory chants by people. Members of the civil society made banners expressing gratitude and saluting the pilot for his indomitable courage.

The famous retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagha border in Punjab was cancelled due to Abhinandan’s release, much to the disappointment of visitors. A large number of people, who had gathered at the border for the retreat ceremony, were asked to leave following the cancellation.

Earlier on Friday, the High Commission of India in Islamabad issued a travel document to facilitate Abhinandan Varthaman’s repatriation from Pakistan.

Group Captain Joy Thomas Kurien, Air Advisor of High Commission of India in Pakistan, was with Wing Commander Varthaman when he reached Pakistan-India border at Wagah-Attari.

Fareha Bugti, Director (India) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, was also with the IAF pilot when he was handed over to the officers of Border Security Force personnel of India after repeated postponements due to procedural delays. He underwent a health check up by the representatives of International Committee of Red Cross before his repatriation.

“The captured Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has been returned to India today. He was arrested when his military jet MIG-21 crashed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir after being shot down by Pakistan Air Force for violating Pakistani airspace on February 27, 2019 (Wednesday),” Mohammad Faisal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan Government, said in a statement.

“While in captivity, he was treated with dignity and in line with international law,” stated Faisal.

Comments

indian
 - 
Saturday, 2 Mar 2019

does indian have this same courage to treat any paki army like this...we all know last 5 year BJP is just blamming paki for there own benefit. real telling all bad story like behading solider, in reallity this never happen.

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News Network
January 24,2020

Mangaluru, Jan 24: The third annual nocturnal Mangaluru Kambala, also known as the Rama Lakshmana Kambala, will be held on the night of January 25 at Goldfinch City in Bangra Kuluru, Mangaluru Kambala Samithi president Brijesh Chowta announced on Friday.

The all-night Kambala will have six categories - Naegilu Kiriya, Hagga Kiriya, Naegilu Hiriya, Hagga Hiriya, Kane Halage and Adda Halage.

The event will be inaugurated at 0930 hrs on January 25 and another programme will be held at 1800 hrs.

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News Network
March 20,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 20: One more person tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, taking the total number of cases to 25, as the Left government announced a Rs 20,000 crore financial package to tide over the present crisis being faced by the southern state in the wake of the virus outbreak.

The multi-crore special package includes Rs 500 crore health package, Rs 2,000 crore loans and free ration.

The man who tested positive had returned from Dubai and hailed from the northern Kasaragod district, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters after a COVID-19 review meeting.

He said 65 people were hospitalised on Thursday.

"At least 31,173 people are under surveillance, of whom 237 are in observation in hospitals across the state" he said.

Detailing the financial package, Vijayan said loans worth Rs 2,000 crore would be made available to needy families through all-women network 'Kudumbashree' during April-May.

Rural employment guarantee programmes worth Rs 1,000 crore each will be implemented in April-May, he said.

Social security pension of Rs 1,320 crore, to be given in April, would be distributed this month, he said, adding that 50 lakh people are benefited through the pension scheme.

Those belonging to the below poverty line (BPL) and Anthyodaya, who are not receiving social security pension, would be given Rs 1,000 each, for which Rs 100 crore would be earmarked.

Cutting across APL and BPL families, 10 kg free ration would be given and Rs 100 crore would be set apart for the purpose, he said.

A string of 1,000 low-cost hotels, providing food at Rs 20, would be opened across the state next month, the chief minister added.

The 'fitness' charges of autorickshaws and taxis and one month tax of stage and contract carriages would be waived, Vijayan said.

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News Network
February 4,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 4: A 33-year old woman techie allegedly stabbed her mother to death and made a murderous assault on her younger brother before fleeing their home here, police said on Tuesday.

According to police, the woman fatally stabbed her mother using a knife and attacked the brother early on Monday.

The injured brother has been hospitalised here.

A search was on for the techie and the motive for her action under investigation, police said.

The woman, employed as a software engineer with a company here, earlier had told her mother and 30-year old brother that she has been transferred to Hyderabad and she may have to relocate.

The brother told police that in the early morning on Monday he saw his sister searching something desperately and offered to assist, which she refused.

However, minutes later she made a murderous assault on him, he told police, adding when he screamed for help and called his mother, his sister said she has killed their mother.

She stabbed him and attacked with an iron rod before fleeing, her brother told police.

The body of the mother was found in another room in the house.

"We are still investigating the matter. We are not clear about the motive behind the murder," a police officer told media adding the woman was yet to be arrested.

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