#WelcomeBackAbhinandan: Sudarsan Pattnaik honours IAF pilot with stunning sand art
Wing Commander Varthaman, who was in Pakistan's custody, will return home today.

The 35-year-old pilot, who was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday after the MiG-21 Bison jet that he was flying crashed, is being release today in what was announced as a 'Peace Gesture' by the Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
#WelcomeBackAbhinandan My sand art with message Salute to our brave Hero at Puri beach . https://t.co/eUdW3GY8WB
— Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) 1551408419000The news of Abhinandan's release came amidst accelerating tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the air strikes conducted by the IAF on terror camps in Pakistan on Tuesday. 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets had dropped 1,000 kg of bombs at Balakot, Chakothi and Muzaffarabad.
The 'non-military, pre-emptive' air strikes targeting training camps run by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were conducted after the tragic February 14 Pulwama attack that took the lives of over 40 CRPF jawans. JeM had in a video claimed to be behind the attack.
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