'Welcoming home a true fighter': Ajay Devgn, other stars exult as IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman arrives in India

The wait is over! Indian Air Force Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman is back to the country that he made immensely proud with his brave effort against Pakistan. After a slight delay over his arrival which left the citizens of the country impatient, Wing Commander Abhinandan was handed over to the Indian officials and escorted like a true hero as he walked through the Wagah-Attari border. Celebrities’ joys didn’t know any bounds ever since the news of the IAF pilot’s release from Pakistan had surfaced. Tributes and praises for him continued throughout the day. But the moment the hero arrived in the country, celebrities took to social media immediately. Ajay Devgn was among the first to tweet and with the most deserving words, ‘a true fighter’ and his name with the position he holds, the actor welcomed him back to the country.          

READ: WATCH THIS: The Exact Moment Wing Commander Abhinandan Crosses Over Into India After Two Days In Custody In Pakistan

There were many other celebrities who were excited too, like Madhur Bhandarkar and Huma Qureshi. Here's what they tweeted:

Right after he was returned to India, the Indian Air Force issued the following statement:

"Wing Commander Abhinandan has just been handed over as per standard procedure of the Indian Air Force. He will now be taken for a detalied medical checkup. This checkup is mandated particularly because officer has had to eject from an aeroplane which would have put his entire body under great stress. IAF is happy to have Abhinandan back,"  Indian Air Force Vice Marshal RGK Kapoor told media.

READ: As India Strikes Back, Ajay Devgn Salutes IAF, Says, 'Mess With The Best, Die Like The Rest'

Wing Commander Abhinandan returned to India on Friday, two days after accomplishing an extraordinary - perhaps unprecedented - feat in the skies above Lam Valley in J&K's Nowshera, after which he was captured by Pakistan.

On February 27, a day after Indian Air Force conducted air strikes inside Pakistan territory and bombed camps of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed - orchestrator of Pulwama terror attack - the Pakistan Air Force aircrafts tried to infiltrate the Indian airspace and attack military establishments.

Three F-16 jets entered the Indian territory, following which the Indian Air Force sent their own aircraft on air to tackle them. Within no time, the Pakistani F-16s were forced back. Wing Commander Abhinandan's MIG-21 Bison shot and brought down a Pak F-16 before being hit by ground fire. Wing Commander Abhinandan ejected but his parachute got caught in a westerly heading as a result of which he landed in Pakistani territory and was captured.

On Thursday, Pakistan PM Imran Khan had announced the release of  Wing Commander Abhinandan, attempting to stitch together the narrative that it was a 'goodwill gesture'.