Excelsior Correspondent
—Excelsior/Aabid Nabi
SRINAGAR, Aug 23: Army today repatriated a 72-year-old Pakistani occupied Kashmir (PoK) resident who had inadvertently crossed over into the Indian territory at Uri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Mangta Khan had inadvertently crossed into the Indian territory on August 20 in Uri sector of the LoC. He was apprehended troops deployed on ground at around 4 p.m. on August 20.
Khan was brought to Uri and after questioning his identity was established. “He was made comfortable, provided medical aid and food, and was treated with empathy and civility due to a human being, even if he is from across the LoC”, said a statement issued here by the Army.
The statement said that Pakistan made no attempts to obtain information of the missing person. “The Indian Army took the initiative and sent an urgent Hot Line Message to the Pakistan side. The message was initiated to inform them of the safety and well being of Mangta Khan along with a request for a flag meeting so that the individual could be repatriated and united with his family at the earliest”, the statement added.
The statement said that Khan was handed over to Pakistani authorities after a flag meeting held at the Chakothi Uri crossing point near the Kaman Aman Setu in Uri, at 2:00 p.m. today. “Mangta Khan was handed over to the Pak side along with a new set of clothes and sweets for the family’, the statement said.
The statement further said: “The Indian Army apart from maintaining a high state of alertness on the LC to prevent any illegal crossings and maintaining the sanctity of our territory, carries out its activities in the highest traditions of humanity, goodwill and respect for elders, qualities which set it apart from other contemporary forces, a fact that has been amply displayed today by this event.”
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