Pakistan to release BSF jawan today after ISI quizzing
Family of the BSF jawan thanked the Army and the government for their efforts
New Delhi: Pakistani authorities on Thursday assured the Indian BSF that the jawan, who was captured in Pakistan’s territory after being swept away by a strong current of the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir, will be handed back on Friday.
BSF sources said a company commander level flag meeting was held at 2.45 pm in the Nikowal border post area in Jammu’s Sunderbani sector between Border Security Force and the Pak Rangers who said the BSF jawan Satyasheel Yadav, 30, would return on Friday.
“The stipulated time of handover of our trooper has been set at 3 pm. Some formalities will be done by the Rangers and then they would hand over Yadav back to us,” the sources said. Officials said they were informed that Mr Yadav was in good condition and he is understood to have gone through some rounds of questioning by Pak intelligence and security sleuths.
Mr Yadav was out on a patrol with three other personnel in the Paragwal-Khour sub-sector of general area Akhnoor when the boat they were travelling in developed a problem on Wednesday. Officials said when the patrol squad was negotiating a narrow bend in the river in this sector, the engine of the motorboat failed.
A rescue boat later sent to fetch the BSF men was taken by three personnel but Mr Yadav was swept in the strong current as the rope holding him snapped and he subsequently landed 400 metres away in the Sialkot sector of Pakistan where he was picked up by the villagers initially and then handed over to the Rangers.