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Purnab Kumar Shaw, a young constable with India’s Border Security Force (BSF), has been detained by Pakistan Rangers after he unintentionally crossed the international border on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred near the Indo-Pak border in Punjab’s Ferozepur district while he was helping local farmers working in fields close to the zero line.
Shaw, who hails from Hooghly district in West Bengal, had only recently been posted at the border on April 10 with an ad-hoc BSF team. Officials say he was in uniform and armed with his service rifle when he accidentally stepped beyond the invisible boundary that separates the two nations.
“Beyond the fence there is a small pillar, which is the border. It is an invisible line ahead of the fence. We have border fence only on the Indian side. The constable was new to the area and accidentally crossed the invisible line. BSF has always returned unarmed foreigners who cross the border accidentally. Just last month, one such Pakistan national was returned,” said a BSF officer familiar with the situation.
Pakistan Rangers Ignore Flag Meeting Request
The BSF made a formal request on Friday morning to hold a flag meeting with Pakistan Rangers—an established procedure in such cases—to seek Shaw’s release. However, Pakistani forces did not respond.
“This morning, Pakistan Rangers did not respond to the request for the flag meeting. Our teams were at the border with the flag, which is the norm, but they did not come. We have informed the headquarters. Efforts are on to secure the BSF trooper’s release,” said an official, who also confirmed that two earlier meetings held on Wednesday and Thursday had ended without any resolution.
Officials are continuing their efforts through all formal channels, although the lack of cooperation so far has raised concerns, especially amid heightened tensions between the two countries following a deadly terror attack in Kashmir.
Incident Occurs Amid Rising Diplomatic Tensions
The timing of Shaw’s detention has added to the growing strain in Indo-Pak relations. Just a day after his accidental crossing, India announced several strong diplomatic measures against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians in a tourist area often called ‘Mini Switzerland’.
Security has been tightened along the international border, making the situation even more sensitive. According to officials, Shaw had crossed the border while accompanying local farmers who were harvesting wheat near Mamdot block, an area close to the “cobra fence” on the Indian side.
“There are agricultural fields belonging to residents of border villages beyond the fence which is usually within 150m of the invisible border. The gates of the fences covering the fields are opened at specific times and the BSF jawans accompany the farmers. During one such exercise, the trooper inadvertently crossed the border and was taken by Pakistan Rangers. The farmers were not taken,” said another official familiar with standard operations at the border.
Family Appeals for His Safe Return
Shaw’s wife, Rajni, made an emotional appeal to both the West Bengal government and the central government, urging them to do everything possible to bring her husband back home safely.
“I came to know from one of his colleagues who just informed me that he has been held by Pakistani soldiers and that flag meetings were going on to bring him back. I would appeal to the state and Union government to ensure that my husband returns home safely at the earliest,” she said on Thursday evening.
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