NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday questioned the Centre over the steps being taken to ensure the safe return of Border Security Force (BSF) constable Purnam Sahu, who was apprehended by Pakistan Rangers after inadvertently crossing the border in Punjab’s Ferozepur sector on April 23.
“It has been six days since BSF constable Purnam Sahu was detained. His family is anxiously awaiting answers. What steps is the government taking to secure his safe return?” asked Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a post on X.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.
Sahu, part of the 182nd BSF Battalion, was escorting farmers along the border when he strayed into Pakistani territory while seeking shade under a tree. The area, part of the “zero line” near the international border, allows farming under BSF supervision and jawans are deployed to assist and monitor the farmers’ activity.
According to BSF officials, a flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani border forces was scheduled after the incident, but there has been no official update on his release since then.
The Pakistan Rangers confirmed Sahu’s detention and reportedly assured BSF counterparts of his eventual return. A photograph released by Pakistan authorities showed Sahu blindfolded after his detention.
Sahu was new to the border posting and not fully aware of the territorial markers. His commanding officer contacted the family in Rishra, West Bengal and informed them that discussions for his release were likely during a flag meeting scheduled for Friday evening or Saturday.
The family, including his wife Rajani and parents Bholanath and Devanti Devi, has not heard from him directly since Tuesday night and remains anxious for his safe return.
The incident also comes in the backdrop of India halting cross-border trade at the Attari Integrated Check Post and suspending customary handshakes during the flag-lowering ceremony at the Wagah border, part of the government’s measures in response to the Pahalgam attack.
