Wing Commander Abhinandan posted at Suratgarh Air Force Base

JAIPUR: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was captured by the Pakistan Army on February 27 and kept in captivity for nearly 60 hours, has now been posted to Suratgarh Air Force Base in Rajasthan.
He took over his assigned duties there on Saturday. This is not the IAF officer’s first tenure in Rajasthan as previously he had also served in Bikaner. Son of an IAF personnel, has also studied in the state when his father was posted here.
However, the IAF has not confirmed the Wing Commander’s current posting and an official said, “All defence postings are confidential and the only detail that we can confirm is that Wing Commander Abhinandan has been posted in Rajasthan. Further details cannot be divulged.”
Meanwhile, local sources in Suratgarh told TOI that Abhinandan has joined the IAF station there. “Suratgarh Air Force Base has MiG-21 Bison aircraft and at this point it is not clear if Abhinandan will get back to flying since as per the protocol, once a pilot ejects, he is grounded. Having said that, the Wing Commander’s case might be looked at differently,” added an officer. This is the officer’s first posting after his return from Pakistan.
Just a week back, a video of the Wing Commander had surfaced where he was seen interacting with the defence personnel at previous place of posting in J&K.
Abhinandan was captured by the Pakistani army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during an aerial combat.
He took down an F-16 fighter of Pakistan before his plane was hit. He was handed over to India on March 1 following which he underwent debriefing process and was given sick leave.
Wing Commander Abhinandan had to be hospitalized after he sustained injuries during his captivity in Pakistan. He was being treated at the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital in Delhi.