New Delhi: Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was subjected to loud music and bright lights to keep him sleep-deprived in the first 24 hours since he was captured — an attempt by Pakistan’s ISI to keep him disoriented and break him down, top sources in the security and defence establishment have told ThePrint.
The sources said Abhinandan was not allowed to sleep in the first 24 hours he was in Pakistan’s custody. In all, he spent about 60 hours in their custody.
Medical examination has found that Abhinandan is doing well but has problem in his back, which sources suspect is due to his ejection and subsequent landing.
The medical examination has found that the IAF pilot also has injuries to his ribs, which, sources say, he might have suffered due to the initial beating he was subjected to by locals at the time of his capture.
Also read: Abhinandan Varthaman underwent mental harassment in Pak custody, says report
Allegations of ‘torture’
“Wing Commander Abhinandan was subjected to torture while he was in the custody of the Pakistan Army. He was not allowed to sleep for the first 24 hours and was subjected to loud music and bright lights to keep him awake,” a source told ThePrint.
The source explained that the idea is to disorient the person and to torture him mentally. Abhinandan was also questioned repeatedly by different officers, with many asking him repeated questions to tire him out.
“The idea is to break the subject down. This is torture. Thankfully, he is back in India,” the source said.
Wing Commander Abhinandan is currently under the medical care of military doctors. There is a process of debriefing that is being followed, sources said.
Debrief refers to a system under which officials try to connect the dots — from Abhinandan’s flight to the time he was handed back to the Indian side.
A source said this, a source said that.
Is that all to Indian media now days?
Really? 😀 some from Indian liar media say that he was mentally tortured/harassed and you guys say he was exposed to loud music and bright lights. Bollywood stories 😀
The videos don’t show that if anything bad happened to him at all, he looks so calm and relaxed in both videos.
I would ask you guys that why don’t your govt. let Abhinandan appear in front of the camera so he can tell the world if what happened to him?
You Know why? Because he’s an honest man, he actually spent time with Pakistani Army. If he comes on media, he will speak the truth, then your media will be nude and exposed to truth, which is bad for media and your dirty Politicians.
And what proof do you have to counter the article……that he looked fine in the video! Oh c’mon, could you be more condescending! Nowhere does the article state that he was beaten so badly that he couldn’t stand. And who knows when were the videos taken…..do you know?!
Pakistan’s reputation precedes it…..even during Kargil war, the two pilots who went down, one was shot and the other one (Nachiketa) was tortured so bad that he was shifted to transport aircraft! I saw one of his interviews and he said that he can’t say what all Pakistan did to him because children might be watching this show. And what about Saurabh Kalia, his body was mutilated to such an extent that his father is still fighting with the government to take the case to ICJ!
So going by all that has transpired in the past, one is more likely to believe in this article than your stupid ISPR brainwashed brain’s rant! Good night!
looks like all the muslims here seem a bit more interested in bashing the reporter than actually putting some proof against the facts given. you people should learn to be sympathetic,
at least while it’s required otherwise nobody likes you anyways.
During Dusshera, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals all Indians are subjected to loud music and bright lights all the time. I suspect this is being done by Pakistani agents to break the spirit of the Indian people. The government should immediately ban all use of loud music and bright lights for the safety and morale of our citizens.
Pakistan spared the Life of a killer pilot which proves beyond doubt that it is a holy(Pak) land.
Thank you Mr Imran Khan and all 200 millions Pakistanis.
Satyamev Jayate!
Bro if u think he is a killer then all security forces of this world are killer.
U know nothing about the case. Pakistani air force tried to trespass the boundary of India and drop bombs or rocket to millitary bases of India , isn’t it work of our defence force to push them back ,and that what wing commander abhinandan was doing.
It’s not that Pakistani government is so generous that they returned him , they had to do it willingly or non-willingly because of GENEVA CONVECTION . And if Pakistan would have not returned him then India has the full right to attack on Pakistan and even UN has no right to stop it in that case.
I M SURE YOU ARE PAKISTANI…..
Thanks to Abhinandan for suffering for safety of Indian people. And same has to be learnt by political people and then normal people because all they are taking governing of India very easily as per their wish and will
Indian media is taking this thing very seriously to say what ever has happened with Abhinandan sir , but can anyone put a real footage interview(without voice overs) of Abhinandan sir to whatever happened with him there .
Oh come on .. is there nobody ,absolutely nobody in india who can call a spade a spade .. sad to c such state of affairs .. even in Pakistan we have started to counter the jem and let .. but u guys are just hopeless .. mr writer you are doing a genuine disservice to your country remember that ..
This reporter needs ‘cooling off’ considering all his stories in the last fortnight have bounced back. I think he is the nazar battu of ‘The Print’ but I would have certainly said thank you if he was working with one of the newspapers I used to edit. Or is it that ‘The Print’ is also obliged to prnt cheap stuff in order to get some of the saner voices afloat, a strategy we used to adopt in Pakistan before the blanket ban was imposed on independent media a year ago.
Brave son of mother India. Get well soon WC
God’s grace that Wing Commander Abhinandan could join his family safely in less than three days. Given how tense things are, this is not necessarily a template for the future, on either side.
Hahaha… oh my God. Indian media is so desperate. Especially this snehesh-alex-Philip, looks like on the payroll of BJP or RAW. I have not seen any article from him which is true and have some fact. Also some unknown sources.
Come on guys, go on and understand war is not a solution.
I don’t know, my all Indian colleagues are very rational but why normal India don’t understand media war hysteria.
haan to apke gurde kyon chhil rahe hain. nobody asked you to read the article. nobody asked you to spit venomous words about our army man either. so shut up and do your namaz.
Namaste
bloody Pakistani katwe kahi ke.