Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was deprived of sleep, choked and even beaten up during the time of his captivity in Pakistan, according to a senior officer debriefing the 35-year-old fighter pilot.
Pakistani interrogators tried hard to extract crucial information on Indian troop deployment, high-security radio frequencies and sensitive logistics during the first 24 hours of his captivity, but Abhinandan did not waver.
The IAF pilots MiG-21 Bison was shot down in a dogfight over the Line of Control on February 27th as Pakistani jets tried to target Indian military installations in the Rajouri sector. HT Senior Editor Sudhi Ranjan Sen spoke to a senior officer who is part of the debriefing process and shares more details in this video.