23-year-old farmer strays across border, lands in Pakistan police custody; family urges centre to intervene

The BSF even reopened the frisking gate before dusk, hoping he might have returned late, but there was no sign of him.

The family of Amritpal Singh, a 23-year-old farmer from Khaire ke Uttar village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, is pleading for urgent government intervention after he accidentally crossed the India-Pakistan border and ended up in Pakistani police custody.

Amritpal, who is married and has a three-month-old daughter, went missing on June 21 while tending to his farmland, located beyond the border fencing but within Indian territory under Border Security Force (BSF) supervision.

Missed gate closing, footprints spotted heading into Pakistan

According to his family, Amritpal had gone to the field around noon and was expected to return before the BSF’s designated gate closing time of 5 pm. When he failed to return, BSF personnel initiated a search and noticed human footprints leading toward the Pakistani side, raising the possibility of an inadvertent border crossing.

Despite multiple flag meetings with Pakistani Rangers, there was initial denial of any sightings. However, on June 27, the Pakistani side officially confirmed that Amritpal was in the custody of local police.

Officials visit family, Mann govt in touch with Centre

On Saturday, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Guru Har Sahai) Udaydeep Singh Sidhu and other officials visited Amritpal’s residence. They informed the family that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is aware of the situation and the state government is in communication with the Ministry of External Affairs to secure Amritpal’s return.

Amritpal’s father Jugraj Singh has appealed to district officials and the Centre to escalate the matter with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. “Our only request is that our son be brought back home safely,” he said.

Farmers and the fragile ‘zero line’

Amritpal is among hundreds of farmers in Punjab’s border belt who cultivate land situated between the barbed wire fence and the international border, an area often referred to as the “zero line.” Access to these fields is permitted during daylight hours (typically 8 am to 5 pm) and under strict BSF surveillance.

During the summer cropping season, farmers from districts like Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Tarn Taran cross the fencing daily through designated gates to reach their land.

Amritpal had taken his motorbike to the fields that afternoon. The BSF even reopened the frisking gate before dusk, hoping he might have returned late, but there was no sign of him.

Family awaits Centre’s action

With Pakistan confirming his custody, the focus now shifts to diplomatic efforts. The family is holding out hope that the Union External Affairs Ministry will act swiftly to secure Amritpal’s safe return.

(With inputs from PTI)