Abhinandan's parents get standing ovation on board flight to Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 1: It may have been after midnight when the Chennai-Delhi flight came to a stop at the tarmac but there was no scramble to get bags from the overhead bin or rush towards the exit because all eyes were focused on one couple the parents of IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.
Air Marshal (retd) S Varthaman and Dr Shobha Varthaman were given a standing ovation as passengers made way for them in the early hours of Friday, ensuring that they couple gets off first.
Abhinandan, who was captured by Pakistan on Wednesday, is expected to be released on Friday.
In photos and videos shared by passengers on social media platforms, the couple, who came to Delhi on their way to Amritsar to bring their son home, can can be seen acknowledging the clapping, cheers and thank yous with nods of their heads.
The plane landed at the Delhi airport about an hour after midnight.
The couple left for Amritsar soon after landing in Delhi. They are all set to receive their son most likely at the Wagah border.
Wing Commander Abhinandan was captured by Pakistan Army after his fighter jet crashed in an air duel with a Pakistani F-16. He shot down the plane before his own went down, forcing him to eject. He fell into Pakistani territory.
On Thursday Khan announced that he would be released, signalling a de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan.
Abhinandan's family has served the Indian Air Force for generations, since the second World War.
Air Marshal S Varthaman, a recipient of several honours, including a Param Vishisht Seva Medal, said in a message, "Abhi is alive, not injured, sound in mind, just look at the way he talked so bravely... a true soldier... we are so proud of him."
When Wing Commander Abhinandan's parents and family reached Delhi ... All the passengers in the flight saluted /clapped ... Acknowledging the bravery and courage of their son ... ?Jai Hind. Bharat Mata ki Jai. #WelcomeBackAbhinandan #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan #PakPremiPatrakaar pic.twitter.com/7zlESWEKPT
— Arun Singh?? (@upwala_bhaiya) March 1, 2019
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
