Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s family, which had withdrawn into a shell on Wednesday after Pakistan released videos showing him in captivity, broke into celebrations on Thursday after the country’s Prime Minister announced that the officer would be released on Friday. Some relatives distributed sweets.

“I just want to see my son first... I can react only after that,” Air Marshal (Retd) Simhakutty Varthaman, father of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, said on Thursday. Talking to The Hindu from the Chennai airport before taking a flight to New Delhi, Air Marshal Varthaman parried questions if his son had called home from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, leaders of various political parties made a beeline for the retired Air Marshal’s house in Chennai through the day to express solidarity with the family.