As a goodwill gesture, the Indian Army on Wednesday handed over a teenager boy who had inadvertently crossed over the Line of Control into the Indian side back to the Pakistan army. The 13-year-old Mousin, a resident of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, had inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side two days ago and was apprehended by the Army unit deployed in the area.
The boy who had crossed over to the Indian side in the Sadhpora area of Karnah sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Monday was handed over to the Pakistan army at the Titwal crossing point by the Indian army, a source familiar to the development said.
He said that soon after the boy was apprehended it was established that he had crossed over inadvertently with no ill intentions, it was conveyed to the Pakistan army.
“On the night of April 5, a youth inadvertently crossed the line of control into Karnah, Kupwara (J&K). The youth identified as Mausin, son of Manzoor Ahmad from Lipa area of Kashmir under illegal occupation of Pakistan, was kept by the Indian troops deployed along the line of control for the night with due care,” Srinagar-based Defence PRO, Lt Col Emron Musavi said.
He said that the Pakistani authorities were informed of the whereabouts of the child.
“Based on the interaction between the authorities of both sides on the Hotline, the Indian authorities repatriated the youth to the Pakistani authorities from Tithwal crossing point as a humanitarian gesture. The youth was presented clothes and sweets, on return,” he said.
He said that on the occasion of repatriation, the representatives of the civil administration of Karnah were also present. He said that the Tithwal Crossing Bridge located on Kishanganga river has been acting as a point of peace between the two sides.
“It would be pertinent to highlight that the site is visited by lots of people from either sides and is emerging as a tourist site especially after the recently agreed ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The peace and tranquility as a result of the agreement, is being appreciated by the civil population on either side of the line of control,” he said.
Meanwhile, in another goodwill gesture, the Indian Army also returned over 11 cows to the rightful owner on the other side of the line of control after they had strayed into the Indian side.
“Around 11 cows belonging to someone in the Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir had strayed into the Indian side in the Poonch sector. The Pakistan army was informed about this and the animals were returned to the rightful owner through the Poonch Rawalkot meeting point,” the sources said.
The Army has said that in an immediate action to provide succor and relief to the affected citizens of POK, Indian Army returned the cattle back to the rightful owner at Poonch Rawalakot point.
The line of control dividing Indian side and the areas illegally occupied by Pakistan has been quiet after the February 22 DGMO level talks between India and Pakistan. The statement about the meeting that was released two days later stated that both the Indian and the Pakistani side had agreed to abide by the ceasefire agreement reached between the two sides earlier.
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Source: News18