Pakistan hands over BSF jawan at Attari border after 21-day detention

New Delhi, May 14: Pakistan, on Wednesday, handed over BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw to India, 21 days after he was apprehended by the Pakistan Rangers from along the international border in Punjab.

Shaw, held in captivity for about three weeks, was handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF) by Pakistan Rangers at 10:30 am at joint check post (JCP) Attari in Amritsar district (opposite Pakistan's Wagah), a BSF spokesperson said.

A picture of the jawan released by the force showed a bearded Shaw with ruffled hair, and wearing a dark green round-neck T-shirt.

The BSF jawan had inadvertently crossed over the international border in Punjab’s Ferozpur district. Shaw had strayed into the Pakistani side, a day after the ghastly Pahalgam attacks on April 22, which saw terrorists taking 26 innocent lives in cold blood.

“Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw had inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan territory, while on operational duty in the area of Ferozepur sector on 23rd April 2025 around 1150 hrs and was detained by Pak Rangers,” it added.

 An image of the press release issued by the Border Security Force (Photo: @airnewsalerts/ X)

The handover of the BSF jawan was done in accordance with established protocols. All other guidelines are being followed after his return to the homeland, including his medical tests to ascertain whether he was subjected to torture and inhumane treatment by the Pakistani rangers, the statement added. 

The development four days after India and Pakistan agreed to an “understanding" to cease military operations on May 10, after the latter escalated the situation on the border, in response to India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’ which pummeled and pounced on many terror bases and their key infrastructure in Pakistan as well as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7.

Earlier, BSF jawan Shaw's wife Rajni also visited Ferozpur and had met senior BSF officials, pleading for their intervention to secure his release.

She was assured of all possible steps to bring him back to the country.

- With inputs from news agencies