An 11-year-old boy from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir who accidentally crossed the line of control into Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir, was handed over to Pakistan authorities by the Indian Army on Wednesday.
The boy, identified as Mohammad Abdullah, was sent back home through Chakan Da Bagh crossing point in Poonch district with a box of sweets and a set of new clothes. He was apprehended by the army on June 24 in Degwar area of Poonch district, and immediately presented to Jammu and Kashmir police, ANI reported. The police carried out the necessary formalities for his repatriation, and Abdullah was sent back on Wednesday.
Indian Express
A defence spokesperson said that Abdullah was released on humanitarian grounds, owing to his young age and to boost the confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan. “The Indian Army stands by its ethos of being a humane force and maintains sensitivity while dealing with innocent civilians,” the spokesperson added.
In April, an Indian national, who had unknowingly crossed into Pakistani territory a year ago, was handed over to the Indian authorities at the Wagah border. Dalwandar Singh, 23, was handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) after the Punjab Rangers completed due legal process, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistan military’s media wing.
However, in the absence of a mechanism aimed at ensuring an early return, Indian and Pakistani nationals who cross into each other’s border areas by mistake, often endure a long wait to get back home, PTI Reported.
