Many prominent personalities including Minister D Jayakumar, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan, DMDK leader Premalatha Vijayakanth and Chennai police commissioner A K Viswanathan visited the residence of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan, who was detained by Pakistan on Wednesday.

Following this, his father and Air Force veteran Varthaman, a resident of Madambakkam in Chennai, issued a statement and thanked everyone for their prayers for the safe return of his son. 
"Thank you my friends for your concern and wishes. I thank God for his blessings. Abhi is alive, not injured, sound in mind, just look at the way he talked so bravely, a true soldier," he said.
He added: "We are so proud of him. I am sure all your hands and blessings are on his head, prayers for his safe return. I pray that he does not get tortured, and comes home safe and sound in body and mind. Thank you all for being with us in this hour of need. We draw our strengths from your support and energy."

Meanwhile, an eyewitness, Mohammad Razzaq Chaudhry, who lived near the spot where the pilot was captured from, told Pakistan daily Dawn that he saw that two aircraft were on fire and while one of them managed to speed across the LoC, the other one burst into flames and came down to the ground. He saw a parachute descend towards the ground and the pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan, emerged safely.

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the chorus of 'Bring back Abhinandan' continued to build in the country.