India trends Welcome Back Abhinandan as IAF hero comes home From tomorrow

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 28, Feb 2019, 20:16 pm IST | UPDATED: 28, Feb 2019, 20:16 pm IST

Delhi: emotions run high in India as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan today said that Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman will be sent back home tomorrow. Abhinandan was captured by the Pakistani Army after the MiG-21 Bison jet that he was flying was shot down by the Pakistani Air Force. Abhinandan was kept in Pakistan custody as pressure from all over the world mounted on the neighbouring country to release the pilot.

Soon after the news of Abhinandan's release broke, Twitter users took to the micro-blogging platform to say Welcome Back Abhinandan.

Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu was one of the first celebrities to react to the news. The Naam Shabana actress wrote, "Now this really brought smile to my face !!! Waiting for tomorrow ..... with bated breath... This is heartening. THIS is worth celebrating."

Musician Vishal Dadlani wrote, "Bahut khoob, @ImranKhanPTI Saab! Dil se shukriya. #SayNoToWar #WelcomeBackAbhinandan"

Twitter user Zeeshan Khan wrote, "#PeaceAmbassadorImranKhan thank you @ImranKhanPTI "Actions speak louder than words" you proved it before and done it again now by giving peace another chance. War won't bring anything but a great loss on both side of the border. Bless you! #WelcomeBackAbhinandan"

"We can't wait to welcome the braveheart.. #WelcomeBackAbhinandan" wrote Barun Mahapatro.

Rajeshwari Prasad wrote, "Thanks for giving our people strength & showing us what a Real Hero is made of. We celebrate your existence,your bravery & You. #WelcomeBackAbhinandan #AbhinandanVartaman #AbhinandanMyHero"

India and Pakistan had been on edge after the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes on February 26 on Jaish-e-Mohammed training camos in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. After the IAF's airstrikes, which were in retaliation to terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed's February 14 suicide bombing on a CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, tensions between India and Pakistan were at an all-time high. On February 27, the Pakistani Air Force shot down an IAF MiG-21 Bison jet and took Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in custody.

Netizens from India and Pakistan took to Twitter and social media platforms to trend #SayNoToWar, #BringBackAbhinandan and #BringHimHome all through Wednesday.