The already tenuous situation at the LOC was exacerbated on Wednesday when Pakistan downed an Indian MiG-21 and captured Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman alive. Amid worries of Abhinandan being tortured across the border, a former Indian Air Force Wing Commander, based in Bangalore, told mid-day, "We are sure Pakistan will treat him like a Prisoner of War (PoW) and will follow the Geneva Convention or they may have to face serious ramifications." The officer explained that though war has not been openly declared by both countries, the situation at the LOC has been extremely vulnerable for a while.

"What happened on Wednesday was an airborne battle, in retaliation, where we had brought down a Pakistan fighter plane F-16, which was to target the Indian military brigade headquarters in the area and had attempted an unidentified crossing over. When our MIG-21 entered their space, Wing Commander Abhinandan ejected before the plane crash-landed, but he ended on enemy territory," the officer said.