Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 6: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was swept away to Pakistan in strong currents of river Chenab and captured by the Rangers opposite Hamirpur Kona in Akhnoor sector this morning while his three colleagues survived and were driven to safety on the Indian side by a rescue boat.
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), under whose control all para-military forces including the BSF operate, has informed about the incident to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for taking up the issue with Pakistan for detaining the jawan despite the fact that he was swept away to other side of the International Border (IB) accidentally in view of mechanical fault in the motor boat.
The BSF jawan remained in custody of the Rangers and hadn’t been released till late tonight.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the BSF has sought an urgent flag meeting with the Rangers for return of the BSF soldier, who has been identified as Satyasheel Yadav of Ferozabad, Uttar Pradesh, posted with 33 battalion of the BSF in Akhnoor sector.
Sources said four BSF jawans had set off on water patrol from Border Out Post (BOP) Hamirpur Kona in Chenab post of Akhnoor sector at 11 am today in a motor boat. During patrolling, the motor boat developed technical snag and was caught in strong currents of Chenab river waters. The BSF immediately sent a rescue boat, which brought back three jawans, who had managed to swim in the water while Yadav was swept away by strong currents of the water to Pakistan’s forward village of Bajwaat in Sialkot sector of Lahore province.
The motor boat, which was also caught in strong currents of river Chenab was brought back, sources said, adding all other three BSF jawans of 33 battalion were safe and had reached to their unit.
An official spokesman said: “at 11 am, four BSF jawans were in the boat conducting patrolling in Chenab waters close to the International Border when it developed snag near Chenab Post, which was last post of Jammu Frontiers in Akhnoor sector. Due to snag, engine of the boat shut down. Boat started flowing with the strong currents.
“As border is hardly 400 meters from the site, three BSF soldiers left the boat and swam to bank from where they were rescued further by a rescue boat while Satyasheel Yadav also tried to swim to safety but was swept away by strong currents and landed on Pakistan side of the border’’.
Immediately after the incident occurred this morning, the BSF sought a flag meeting with their counterparts Pakistan Rangers for getting the jawan back.
“We are in touch with Pakistan Rangers and have sought a flag meeting. We are hopeful that our trooper will be handed back to us sooner than later,” BSF chief D K Pathak said in New Delhi.
A Rangers official confirmed the capture as he said in Islamabad that a BSF personnel had entered Bajwaat sector, about 150 kilometers from Lahore.
“We are interrogating him whether he crossed into our side inadvertently or he had any other design. We will also speak to the BSF officials concerned about it,” the official said.
Sources said the Rangers have detained the BSF jawan and quizzed him.
They added that the top BSF officers and Rangers were in touch with each other for repatriation of the BSF jawan.
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