Picture : Twitter / ANI
Wing Commander (now Group Captain) Abhinandan Varthaman being accorded the Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind, for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft during aerial combat on February 27, 2019. The award is in recognition for shooting down a Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft aerial combat on February 27, 2019.
The dogfight in which Abhinandan was involved in took place a day after the Indian Air Forces Mirage-2000s struck targets in Pakistans Balakot. On February 26, IAFs Mirages hit three targets in Balakot with Israeli-origin Spice 2000 bombs with penetrator warheads that allowed the weapons to pierce through the rooftops before exploding inside to cause maximum damage.
Pakistan released videos and images showing Abhinandan being rescued from a violent mob of villagers by its soldiers, receiving first aid and being questioned while blindfolded. Pakistan decided on 28 February 2019 to release him. He returned to India at Wagah on 1 March 2019
It was India’s response to the Pulwama suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men were killed on February 14, 2019.
