In an overwhelming incident, an 11-year-old boy from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) was on Wednesday handed over to the Pakistani authorities, four days after he inadvertently crossed into the Indian side in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.
Mohammad Abdullah was apprehended by the Army on 24th June in Degwar area of Poonch district and was immediately handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who then carried out the necessary formalities for his return.
The boy was released on humanitarian grounds considering his young age, and to help boost the confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan, the spokesman said.
The Pakistani boy was repatriated on Wednesday at the Chakan Da Bagh crossing point after the police completed the formalities for his repatriation and was sent back with a box of sweets and a set of new clothes. “The Indian Army stands by its ethos of being a humane force and maintains sensitivity while dealing with innocent civilians,” the spokesperson added.
This is not the first time the India Army has exhibited this laudable gesture. In a similar incident, way back in 2015, Sameer Kayani, an 11-year-old boy, son of Mohammad Rafiq, is a resident of Laswa area of Athmuqam in PoK was handed over to the Pakistan Army after he unknowingly crossed borders and ended up in India.
To make sure that he reached home safely, an urgent hotline message was sent to inform the Pakistan Army about his safety and well-being.
Several such incidents talking about the humanity of Indian soldiers have surfaced in the last few years. One such similar incident transpired two months back where Mohammed Zahid son of Mohammed Arif resident of Nakyal village in PoK, who was mentally ill, crossed over the de facto border on 22nd April. The army men who were deployed on LoC apprehended him and handed him over to police. A flag meeting was held and later the boy was handed over to the Pakistani army. He too was sent back with gifts, clothes and a box of sweets.