BSF lodges protest with Pak Rangers on jawan's apprehension

PTI, April 29, 2025, New Delhi/Amritsar :  The Border Security Force (BSF) has lodged a protest with Pakistan Rangers in the case of apprehension of a jawan a week back after he had mistakenly crossed the international border in Punjab, official sources said on Tuesday.

     Earlier such inadvertent crossings on either side were resolved quickly, but this time the Pakistani side has remained "non-committal" on the whereabouts and the date of return of the jawan which could be due to rising India-Pakistan tensions after the Pahalgam attack, they said.

     The border force has also instituted an inquiry into the incident where Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw of the 24th battalion was caught by the Rangers on April 23 after the jawan inadvertently crossed the IB along the Ferozepur district.

     Officials told PTI that a protest note has been sent to Pakistan Rangers and they have remained "non-committal" on the whereabouts and the date of return of the jawan.

     About 4-5 flag meetings have taken place between the two sides but there is no final word on his return. A protest note has been given to the sector commander of the Rangers by the BSF, the officials said.

     They said that the jawan is understood to have been moved to a Rangers' base along the Lahore-Amritsar sector and may be handed over to the BSF soon. The Rangers have maintained a stoic silence and have neither issued a protest note nor communicated about his condition, they said.

     Social media handles from Pakistan had issued pictures of Shaw  last week where he was seen blindfolded and sitting in a vehicle and standing under a tree with his rifle, magazine with bullets, belt and other belongings kept on the ground, according to officials.

     The jawan was part of the 'Kisan Guard' that was deployed for the protection of Indian farmers who till their land near the border fence and the trooper apparently "miscalculated" the alignment of the IB and stepped on the other side to rest under a nearby tree from where he was apprehended by the Rangers, officials said.

     Meanwhile, Shaw's pregnant wife Rajani and son reached Punjab on Monday and met senior officers of his unit who assured her that he would be back soon, they said.

     "Efforts are on to secure his release. Possibly the Pakistani establishment is weighing its options given the current state of situation between the two countries in the backdrop of the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Earlier such inadvertent crossings on either side were resolved quickly," a senior officer said.

     Shaw hails from Rishra in Hooghly district of West Bengal.