Videos of pilot shot by Pakistan mob helped Abhinandan Varthaman: 1971 PoW

CHANDIGARH: Disturbing photographs of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, the IAF pilot captured by Pakistani forces on Wednesday, have attracted widespread criticism but his videos seem to have become a lifesaver for him.

Air Commodore J L Bhargava, an Indian Air Force veteran who crash-landed in Pakistan during the 1971 war and remained in Pakistani captivity for a year, says Abhinandan was lucky that somebody in the mob filmed him after his crash landing. "Had he was not been filmed and the video was not circulated by somebody from the mob, it would have been extremely difficult to prove that he was alive. No doubt, Pakistan might have denied his arrest and he could have ended up in Pakistan jail for the rest of his life.

Abhinandan's fate could have been similar to 54 soldiers who were labelled missing in action in the 1971 war," says Bhargava, who was among 12 Indian pilots made prisoners of war (PoWs) in 1971.

The 77-year-old veteran, now settled in Panchkula, said it was only because of Abhinandan's video footage being shot and shared by the mob, the Pakistan army had to immediately announce his arrest and had to release official footage.

1971 PoW: ‘Mob biggest threat to crash-landed pilot’

In his time, Bhargava said, the Indian government was informed about his arrest more than a month later and that too after intervention of international agencies.

Bhargava added the biggest threat to a pilot in such a situation is the local mob and Abhinandan was lucky that the Pakistan army rescued him.

Giving an example, he said one of his fellow pilots, Flt Lt Hussain who was posted in Punjab during the 1965 war, crash landed in Indian territory, but he was almost thrashed to death by a mob that presumed he was a Pakistani because of his Muslim name. He was saved by the police. The same people, who were part of the mob, then

went to Jalandhar cantonment to donate blood for him, Bhargava added. Bhargava, a Ranji cricketer, said although Pakistani defence officers behave decently with Indian personnel, any pilot would have to go through a traumatic period during questioning.

“They would not allow you to sleep and would keep you asking about your squadron and other classified information. It is really difficult to say no for every query. I remember, I had rattled off names of my siblings and cousins when they asked me to reveal details of pilots in my squadron. I had to make sure to repeat same names to other investigators, as lots of agencies grill pilots in such a situation. I remember they asked me, who the best pilot in my squadron was and I replied, ‘He is in front of you’,” he added.

The veteran, however, said pilots are trained to deal with such situations and are provided with a survivors’ kit, a pistol, some Pakistani currency. Bhargava, who was a Flight Lieutenant at that time, said his HF-24 9 (Hindustan Fighter), popularly known as “Marut”, was shot down during his first sortie in the enemy area after he took off from Barmer on December 5, 1971. His family was only informed about his PoW status in anuary 1972. Recalling his return, Bhargava said PoWs came via Wagah border and then Punjab CM Giani Zail Singh had received them. They were taken to local IAF unit, where a sumptuous lunch were arranged. Thereafter, they were flown to Palam Air Force base, where they united with their families.