India-Pakistan tension: Students, priests pray for Abhinandan Varthaman's safe release

Bengaluru: On Wednesday, the Pakistan Army claimed to have captured Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. MEA spokesman confirmed that India had lost one MiG-21 Bison aircraft and its pilot was missing in action, but did not confirm the veracity of Pakistani claim. A video was released after a press conference held by a spokesman of the Pakistan armed forces Major General Asif Ghafoor. The video has gone viral on the internet, but the Pakistan Army has deleted it from its Twitter handle. 

Netizens began to flood the social media with wishes for Abhinandan Varthaman's safe return to India. College students from Karnataka's Koppal district on Thursday offered prayers for his safe release from Pakistan Army. Several priests of Dodda Ganapathi temple in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, too held special prayers for the missing pilot's safe return.