BSF man’s wife to meet senior officials in a bid to secure his release from Pakistan custody

The wife of Border Security Force (BSF) constable, Purnab Kumar Shaw, who has been detained by Pakistan Rangers for inadvertently crossing the border, arrived in Chandigarh on Monday afternoon and proceeded to Pathankot to meet the senior officials of her husband’s battalion in a bid to secure his release.

Shaw has now been in Pakistan Rangers custody for the sixth consecutive day, with the neighbouring country yet to respond to India’s repeated requests for his release.

Rajani, who married Shaw from Rishra in the Hooghly district of West Bengal on December 7, 2015, told the media before leaving home that she would also visit Delhi and seek a meeting with the Union home minister and other government officials in case the BSF camp officials didn’t provide satisfactory answers regarding efforts to secure her husband’s release.

“Some BSF officials visited us yesterday and said we should not worry. However, they have not shared any information till now on what is being done to ensure my husband’s safe return. I am pregnant but I have no option but to travel to Pathankot in this condition,” Rajani told the media at her home.

On April 23, a day after terrorists gunned down 26 tourists in Pahalgam, the BSF’s 24th battalion constable was detained by Pakistan Rangers after he accidentally crossed the zero line in the Ferozepur sector. The incident came to light on April 24 while India was taking diplomatic measures against Pakistan over the terror attack.

Rajani is accompanied by her son and three other relatives and was en route to Pathankot at the time of the last update.

Meanwhile, BSF officials remained tight-lipped about the situation and refrained from commenting on the issue.

A BSF official, privy to the matter, said, “Since Wednesday afternoon, we have been looking for a positive move from Pakistan, but nothing has happened.”

To date, three flag meetings between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers have ended without a breakthrough. The last meeting was held on Friday.

Security officials familiar with the developments told HT last week that such incidents occurred in the past and were usually resolved through flag meetings and mutual understanding. However, back-to-back flag meetings held to discuss Shaw’s release were inconclusive.

Before her departure, Rajani Shaw said: “I am extremely worried. What will I do with assurances? I cannot stay home while he is being held in Pakistan. I want to talk to his battalion head and find out what’s going on.”