Saved from a Pakistani mob, a downed Indian pilot becomes the face of the Kashmir crisis

A downed Indian fighter pilot who was attacked by a mob and then paraded onvideo by Pakistan's army has become a social media sensation anda hero in his homeland amid a spiraling crisis between thenuclear-armed neighbours.

With Pakistani villagers and soldiers filming his captureand captivity on Wednesday in clips that have since gone viralon social media, the pilot identified by Islamabad as IndianWing Commander Abhi Nandan has fast emerged as the human face ofthe dangerous flare-up between the arch-foes.

The Indian government has not confirmed the pilot's identity. Indian mediahave given his name as Abhinandan Varthaman.

The pilot and the Indian Air Force (IAF) are at the heart ofthe current crisis between two countries who have conducted airstrikeson each other's territory in the past two days. TheUnited States and China have appealed for restraint.

The airman's treatment at the hands of Pakistani troops drewboth condemnation and praise, while at his house in southernIndia supporters gathered to record messages of solidarity.

'A vulgar display'

In one video posted on social media, a Pakistani soldierankle-deep in a stream of water in the disputed Kashmir regioncan be seen shielding the pilot from angry villagers andshouting "Enough!" as they pummel his bloodied face and strikeblows against his limp body.

In another video, posted on Twitter by Pakistan'sinformation ministry, the pilot is blindfolded and can be heardsaying "I've got hurt and I would request some water." He thenreveals his name and rank before politely fending off questionsfrom soldiers by saying: "I'm not supposed to tell you that."

Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comesto the Indian defence personnel in its custody.- Indian foreign ministry

Later, in a video released by Pakistan's military, thecaptured airman is shown without a blindfold, appearing morerelaxed, thanking the Pakistani army and sipping tea.

"The officers of the Pakistani army have looked after mewell, they are thorough gentlemen," he said.

India's foreign ministry branded Pakistan's videos a"vulgar display" of an injured airman, saying they violated international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention.

"Pakistan would be well advised to ensure that no harm comesto the Indian defence personnel in its custody," it said in a statement. "India alsoexpects his immediate and safe return."

Pakistan's army spokespersonAsif Ghafoor tweeted a photo ofthe airman and said he was "being treated as per norms ofmilitary ethics." Pakistani tweeters said he had been shownexemplary hospitality.

#SayNoToWarhashtagmakes waves

After Pakistan's government released a picture of the downedpilot, social media platforms were inundated with old videos and photos of him.

By Wednesday evening, the two top trends on Twitter in India and Pakistan were about the pilot, with many Indians demanding his releaseunder a #BringBackAbhinandan hashtag. Another hashtag that made waves in both countries was #SayNoToWar.

In one video shared on social media, purportedly from 2011,he is seen dining with the hosts of a popular Indian televisionfood show. Asked about attributes important for a pilot, hesays: "Bad attitude." Reuters could not verify the authenticityof the video.

Many posts concerned the pilot's safety, and some expressedrelief to see the later video of him clutching a cup of tea.

"I Salute Our Brave IAF Pilot," said Twitter user Aarti, whochanged her Twitter profile picture to one of his old mug shots.