Pak national caught entering Jaisalmer Air Force station, four others arrested from Barmer

Security personnel at Jaisalmer Air Force station caught a Pakistani national when he was trying to enter the airbase early on Wednesday, police said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the Pakistani national came to India more than 18 years back and had been staying at Vijaynagar in Rajasthan’s Ganganagar district.

Security personnel have recovered an Aadhar card from him. Authorities suspect that the arrested person may have links with Pakistani spying agencies.

Officials said man was caught when he was trying to enter in the air force station along with daily wage workers.

During interrogation, the arrested person revealed that he had been working a farm worker at Vijaynagar.

Gaurav Yadav, Jaisalmer superintendent of police, confirming the report, said the district police was aware of the arrest but the air force authorities have not handed the arrested Pakistani national over to the police.

Sources at the air force base said the arrested Pakistani national has been identified as Purkha Ram.

Four other Pakistani nationals were caught from restricted border areas in Barmer. The four were arrested for violation of visa norms, police said.

Following a tip-off, police arrested two Pakistani nationals from Kaprau village late on Saturday, said Surendra Kumar, station house officer at Chohtan police station.

The arrested duo has been identified as Jan Mohhamad (67) and Barkat Ali (78), both resident of Ghamroda in Pakistan’s Chachron district, he said.

“The two came to India through the Wagah border in Punjab with valid visa for Barmer, but were arrested as they violated visa norms by staying in the restricted area near the India-Pakistan border,” Kumar said.

“During investigation we got information about two other Pakistani nationals staying at Bachbhar villager under Ramsar police station area and informed our Ramsar counterpart.”

Before the Ramsar police could raid the village where the two Pakistan nationals were staying, the duo left the restricted area and moved to Barmer, police said.

The duo, identified as Jumma Khan and Sabu Khan, was traced in Barmer and arrested, he said.

The arrested Pakistani nationals told police that they used to stay in Kaprau village until 1961 and then moved to Pakistan and that they came to India to meet their relatives.

Under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Act, movement of foreign nationals is restricted in the bordering villages and western part of the National Highway-15 in Barmer as the international border in the state has been declared as a protected area.

A foreign national is not allowed to visit a protected or restricted area except in exceptional cases with prior permission.