Punjab: Pak Rangers Capture BSF Soldier Who Crossed Over Border Inadvertently. Handover Awaited

This is the second such incident in Abohar sector of Punjab after a jawan crossed over to the other side while undertaking zero line checking along the India-Pakistan International Border on Dec 1.

A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan has been captured by Pakistan Rangers after he inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistani side in the Punjab sector on Wednesday. His handing back is awaited, news agency PTI quoted officials as saying. This is the second such incident reported from the Abohar sector of Punjab. On December 1, a jawan had crossed over to the other side while undertaking zero line checking along the India-Pakistan International Border (IB).

According to the PTI report, the Pak Rangers handed back the jawan to the BSF after a flag meeting the same day.

In the current case, the officials said Thursday, the jawan accidentally crossed over to the other side of the IB due to "extremely poor visibilty" caused by dense fog on Wednesday morning. He was captured by the Pak Rangers.

"The BSF and Rangers are in touch and an update on the release is awaited," PTI quoted a senior BSF officer as saying.

On December 1 also, the incident had occured due to dense fog, officials had said, according to PTI. The BSF soldier on that occasion was also undertaking zero line checking along the IB, near BSF post GG Base in Abohar sector, when he inadvertently crossed over to the Pakistani side.

There was "extremely poor visibility" around 6:30 am, a BSF spokesperson had said. "He was safely handed over to the BSF during a flag meeting with Pakistan Rangers at 1:50 pm (on December 1)," he was quoted as saying.

In Rajasthan, a Pakistani infiltrator was shot dead by the BSF near Shri Karanpur in Ganganagar district on December 6, PTI quoted sources as saying on Tuesday. The body was handed over to Pakistan after identification.

The incident took place early morning at Harmukh post near Majhiwala village, the December 6 report said.

According to the report, the man carrying a torch was spotted by BSF troops was challenged, but he did not stop and moved into the Indian territory, following which he was fired upon. There was dense fog when the incident occurred, the sources were quoted as saying, adding that the BSF men recovered the body when the visibility improved later.

A flag meeting was held with Pakistan Rangers the same day. While they reportedly refused to accept the body initially, the man's son arrived there the next day and identified the body, after which it was handed over to Pakistan Rangers, the BSF sources were quoted as saying.