KARACHI: A Border Security Force (BSF) soldier who was captured on Pakistani soil for trespassing was handed over to India on Friday, 48 hours after he was swept away across the border by strong currents of Chenab river, The Hindu reported.
Dressed in his dark green combat fatigue, Satyasheel Yadav, 30, was handed over to BSF officials by commanders of Pakistan Rangers at the zero line at Octroi border post in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Yadav was handed over to us at 4.18 p.m. near border pillar 918 along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir. The trooper is well and he is being taken to our nearby border post where the BSF DG and other force commanders would meet him,” a senior BSF official said.
BSF chief DK Pathak has flown in from Delhi especially for the handover event.
"I am grateful to them for treating him well," said Pathak, as quoted by NDTV. "I can't answer why they took so long to hand him over. They did ask some questions, it isn't uncommon," he added, responding to reports that Yadav had been questioned by the Inter-Services Intelligence.
Earlier in the day, Yadav told reporters in Pakistan that his boat was caught in strong currents and accidently strayed into the neighbouring territory.
“My colleagues swam away but I do not know swimming. The boat took me into Pakistani territory. I jumped into water near a Pakistan post and was rescued by jawans of Pakistan Rangers,” he said, adding that Rangers’ officials, treated him well and made him “comfortable”.
“They took my introduction. They helped me to the extent they could. They kept me better than what I had thought. I have no complaints. I am happy,” he said.
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And India returned a dead body-the innocent villager who had crossed into Indian Occupied Kashmir. Thank you India, this gesture is going to brew positive feelings for India. This of course is a great favour from Indian army to Indian Public.
@Patriotic Pakistani: " I hope the Indian media would shut its mouth after the kind and humane gesture shown by Pakistan Army." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Well so should Indians forget that it was the same Pakistan Army that led the Kargil War? Saou chuhe kha ke Billi chali haj ko.
-Dear Pakistanis Step in the Right Direction but not enough ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ No of dead in Mumbai by Paki state/non state actors: 166 No of Indians returned alive in this case 1 Weigh for yourself.
An unexpected nice gesture from Pakistan Army!!! Good work guys. Keep it up!
Realy appreciate this gesture as a Indian Citizen. Personally, except for one or two media channels in India, there is no demonising or focus on Pakistan bashing. Many people here really wish well for our neighbours, and hope that peace and sense prevails sooner than later. It is only when things like 26/11 happen in Mumbai that tempers really flare up. And in the interest of justice, those guys should be hanged for killing 166 people and not protected. Just a thought, but on this subject, thank you Pakistani Rangers. Good gesture. Agree with one of our Pakistani friends, feed the guy some kababs.
Thank you Pakistan. You did well. Now let us have an agreement for our fishermen also.
Yea, Pakistan Army! However, the good behavior and treatment will not be appreciated in India and they will come up with many hideous excuses to satisfy the West and slight us. Do not be taken aback by their comments. We will back you to the fullest and stand shoulder-to-shoulder. Salams
I hope the Indian media would shut its mouth after the kind and humane gesture shown by Pakistan Army.
Wonderful gesture shown by the Pakistanis. Looks like this time our soldier indeed fell in the hands of professional Pakistani soldiers.
@um: I know our Pak Army, its culture, its traditions, its jawans and officers. I have lived among them for more than a decade. This is not an Army slave to the US (as claimed by TTP), or an Army that can commit rapes and atrocities (as claimed by Indians/Bengalis) or an Army that supports Terrorists (as claimed by the US). This is a professional Army that lets its actions do the talking, and when it acts, it shuts up many detractors. Proud of Pakistan Army.
Yea.. I 4got to say thank u :).. Nobody is perfect..
Thank you pak army, n u've bright future.. Mrashal Law is around the corner.. 10 more yrs of party
@bewildered: My dear friend barward wire is not on whole border and no one will cross border in full uniform and the Rangers who released are not so duffer that they will release a spy his boat capsized and he astryed and saved by rangers he was not caught on land he was rescued from river water and the water flows toward Pakistan, Thanks Rangers Thank u Pakistan
Thank you dear Pak brothers.. :)
@Hanibal: Infantry Soldiers work out hard as they are the front line fighters so they have to stay slim being able to run and fight hard. Secondly, this man could be a vegetarian as well which keeps help him stay slim and that doesn't mean they are weak. Animal fat and Bread makes you fat but not necessarily stronger than vegetarians.
As per the Geneva Conventions, Pakistan has to hand over PoWs and enemy combatants to the other side.
This is business as usual. Let us not get carried away especially as the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks are roaming free on the Pakistani side.
@Swaps
Let's look forward, not backward, as we don't have a remarkable past to remember.
Any professional force would do what Pak Rangers did. And I would assume that our Indian friends in uniform on the other side of the border won't do it differently either. Let sanity and humanity prevail over everything else.
Heartfelt thanks to Pakistan! I hope this gesture marks the beginning of better relations. I wish Pak experiences peace and prosperity. Sometime in the future, I hope, we join our hands and become friends defeating the agenda of some senseless people on either side of the border. As you guys would say, God-willing, "Inshallah" (however,I believe God helps people who help themselves). Thanks again guys. I never expected this :)
A great gesture of good-will and maturity shown by the Pak military. India sincerely hopes that such wisdom is also shown at LoC as well, which will bring lasting peace between the two countries.
"he was swept away across the border by strong currents of Chenab river"
LOL. Was he partying alone on a boat after jumping over 12 feet high barbered wall India had erected all along the Pakistani border and LOC? What a lame excuse. I am sure he was trying to cross the border after completing his spying/terrorism mission in Pakistan, and his story of straying is a pre-meditated concoction in case he is caught. Pakistan should have waited a bit longer to dig out the truth or at-least demanded a similar favor in return.
This is what Pakistani army does.Proud of you.And you shut the mouth of Indian Media and haters of Pakistan
@Swaps.. you surely were never taught words like , 'Thank You' in school
@Assad, 'We have returned countless Indian troops'
U better start counting n c if the count goes upto 90 thousand, coz that's the number of ppl we returned in 1974
Ithe guy didn't know swimming and he is in BSF.. lol
The climate whether be dense blinding white fog or water current or freezing -degree icy frozen mountains it's too bad there. The govt must do something to help soldiers navigate better when faced such harsh conditions. Thank you Pakistan :)
“I can’t answer why they took so long to hand him over. They did ask some questions, it isn’t uncommon,” he added,
48 hours is too long. are you kidding me?
Now that's called insaniyat. Soldiers can die in battle but do not have to be mistreated or killed during peace. May such kind gestures between people of India and Pakistan continues. Thank you Pakistan Rangers for treating our soldier as equal.
Thank you, Pak. You have probably won millions of hearts.
We have returned countless Indian troops and while in our custody, they were treated very well. The media in India needs to realize that it makes no sense for us and neither is it in our military traditions and ethos to mistreat a poor soldier who has been swept away by the river.
Only when the other side stops demonizing Pakistan and Pakistanis then there can be some headway.
indian media will still be spewing venom against Pakistan
A soldier don't know swimming and assign to river belt border security that is little odd. But strong current doesn't accept sometime good swimmer certificate either.
Why is he so thin?Soldiers should be buff, feed him some seekh kebabs.
Appreciates it...
How is 48 hours so long. Obviously we will make sure we know how and why is he on our land.
Thank You Pakistan. Great gesture indeed.
He was rescued by the Pakistani Jawans. I am so proud of our forces. This showed that Pakistani army is not blood thirsty for Indian blood like the Indian media and the general Indian public thinks. Hats off to the humanity showed by our jawans.