Amritsar: India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged each other’s border force personnel who had been apprehended along the International Borders (IB) during the recent tensions between the two countries, officials said.
Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw was handed over to Indian authorities at the Attari-Wagah border point in Amritsar, 21 days after he was apprehended by the Pakistan Rangers along the IB in Punjab.
“With the consistent efforts of the BSF through regular flag meetings with the Pakistan Rangers and through other communication channels, the repatriation of the BSF constable has become possible,” a BSF spokesperson said.
Shaw was apprehended while he was deployed to guard the farmers on the border, a day after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people were killed.
The officials said a Pakistan Ranger apprehended by the BSF from the Rajasthan border on May 3 was handed over to the neighbouring country. Officials in Pakistan identified the released Ranger as Muhammadullah.
“Today at 1030 hours Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw has been taken back from Pakistan by the BSF at the Attari-Wagah border,” the BSF spokesperson said.
A picture of the jawan released by the force showed a bearded Shaw with ruffled hair and wearing a dark green round-neck T-shirt.
Shaw had “inadvertently” crossed over to the Pakistan territory while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector on April 23 around 11.50 am and was detained by the Pak Rangers, he said.
The officials told PTI that the jawan will undergo a full body check-up and medical tests, followed by a counselling and ‘debriefing’ session where he will be asked “relevant questions” by the BSF officials about his 21-day detention by the Rangers.
The jawan, belonging to the 24th BSF battalion, will not be drafted for active duty and will also be part of an official inquiry instituted by the Punjab frontier of the BSF to look into the sequence of his apprehension by the Rangers and find lapses, if any, they said.
The spokesperson said the handover of the jawan at the border “was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols”.
The jawan was part of the ‘Kisan Guard’ that was deployed for the protection of Indian farmers, who till their land ahead of the fence.
The trooper apparently “miscalculated” the alignment of the IB and stepped to rest under a nearby tree from where he was apprehended by the Rangers, the officials had said.
Celebrations erupted at Shaw’s residence at Rishra in the Hooghly district of West Bengal following the announcement of his return to India.
Shaw’s pregnant wife, Rajani, who had travelled to Pathankot and Ferozepur earlier to personally appeal for her husband’s release, thanked the people of the country and political leaders who stood by her during the difficult period.
“The local councillor, MP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been in regular touch with me, offering reassurance during the difficult days. I thank each and every one who stood by our family,” a smiling Rajani said.
As Shaw’s family was informed about his release, relief replaced the intense anxiety that had gripped them for 21 days. The jawan’s family members could barely hold back their tears of joy, amid prayers of gratitude and distribution of sweets at his house.
Bholanath Shaw, the jawan’s father, said: “Today, we are celebrating. We haven’t slept peacefully for days, but now we can finally breathe. He is safe, he is back in India, and that is all that matters.”
“I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the central Government and the BSF authorities for their relentless efforts in bringing my son back home,” he said.
Tensions soared between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, with India carrying out missile strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor and Pakistan attacking India’s military installations, drawing a retaliation.
The two sides announced an understanding on May 10 to stop military action.
