India-Pakistan crisis: Viral video of woman claiming to be captured pilot's wife EXPOSED

In the video, the woman requests fellow Indians and politicians not to politicise the sacrifice of soldiers. The video has been shared widely across multiple social media channels gaining over 239,000 views and 14,000 shares. The Indian Youth Congress’ online magazine, Yuva Desh, tweeted the one-minute video purporting that the message was from Mr Varthaman’s wife. The video was also retweeted by Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and other members of the government.

The woman has since been identified as Sirisha Rao who is the wife of an army officer but not of Mr Varthaman.

She said on Twitter after the video went viral: “I am the wife of an Army officer.

“A responsible citizen of India. I shared my feelings as our sentiments were hurt by some politicians.”

Mr Varthaman was captured by Pakistani forces as tensions between Pakistan and India escalated this week.

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The two countries both said they shot down each other’s fighter jets on Wednesday after Indian planes struck inside Pakistan on Tuesday for the first time since 1971.

Tensions were sparked after 40 Indian paramilitary police died in a suicide car bombing allegedly perpetrated by Pakistan-based militants in Kashmir.

Today residents gathered near the India-Pakistan Wagah border crossing to watch the release of the IAF pilot in a gesture of peace.

The pilot appeared to have bruised eyes and as he stood at the border upon his release.

The Pakistan government’s official Twitter account released a video of a man they claimed to be Mr Varthaman.

In the video, the man’s face was bloodied and bruised as he gave his name and service number.

India’s foreign ministry said the pilot’s treatment was a “vulgar display of injured personnel of the Indian Air Force in violation of all norms of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan claimed the release was part of a “peace gesture”.

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Mr Varthaman’s release was announced on Friday morning by Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi.

He said: “As a gesture of peace and to de-escalate matters, the Indian pilot who is under arrest with us will be released today in the afternoon at the Wagah border.”

source: express.co.uk