Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman poses for selfies with colleagues

Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive in Pakistani custody earlier this year, appeared in high spirits as he met and interacted with his colleagues in Jammu and Kashmir. In a viral video that has been doing rounds on the internet, Abhinandan is seen posing for selfies with his colleagues and other servicemen.

In an undated video, Abhinandan, who was visiting his former colleagues in J&K said that the photographs, they clicked with him, were not for them but for their family members who prayed for his health. "All these photographs are not for you but for your families I could not meet. All of you and your families prayed for my health and I want to thank them all," he said.

Watch the video here:

For the first time after his ordeal, Abhinandan happily posed for selfies with everyone. He then joined the group in chanting "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and cheers for the Indian Air Force, its 1 Wing and the Defence Security Corps.

In a short address after the selfies, Varthaman said that he had happily posed for the photographs with his colleagues since they were not for them, "but their families".

IAF braveheart Abhinandan was posted out of Jammu and Kashmir as part of service policy as well as security reasons. Abhinandan Varthaman will be shifted from Srinagar to a peace station.

Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the nuclear-armed neighbour Pakistan on February 27 after his MiG 21 Bison crashed inside Pakistan and later released on March 1.