Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman staved off Pakistani interrogators trying to extract crucial information on Indian troop deployment, high-security radio frequencies and sensitive logistics during the first 24 hours of his captivity in Pakistan after his MiG-21 Bison was shot down in a dogfight over the Line of Control, according to a senior officer debriefing the 35-year-old fighter pilot.
The official, who is part of a team debriefing Varthaman after he walked back into India across the Wagah border on March 1, said the Wing Commander was deprived of sleep, choked and even beaten up by his captors in Pakistan.
During his captivity, Varthaman was made to stand for long hours and subjected to loud music to increase his discomfort, the official said, requesting anonymity.
Abhinandan Varthaman let off a R73 missile from his MiG21 fighter jet in an aerial combat over Nowshera last week, has said in his debriefing that he saw a Pakistan Air Force F16 going down on the other side of the border.
Pakistan released Varthaman last Friday after he was captured in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where the MiG21 that he was flying was shot down. His MiG21 was hit likely by a Pakistani long-range AMRAAM missile, forcing him to eject.
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