Family of Punjab farmer who crossed over to Pakistan seeks MEA’s intervention for his safe return

The family of a 23-year-old Ferozepur farmer, who inadvertently crossed over to Pakistan a fortnight ago, urged the Union External Affairs ministry on Saturday to ensure his safe return to India at the earliest.

Amritpal Singh, from Khaire ke Uttar village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, went missing along the India-Pakistan border on June 21. He had gone to tend his farmland located across the barbed fencing near Border Outpost (BOP) Rana under Border Security Force supervision. Singh failed to return before the gate was scheduled to close around 5 pm.

The BSF personnel later found human footprints heading towards the Pakistani side, raising the possibility of an unintentional border crossing.

The BSF held three to four flag meetings with Pakistani Rangers, who initially denied any sightings of an unknown person. On June 27, the Pakistani Rangers confirmed that Singh was in the custody of local police.

Guru Har Sahai sub-divisional magistrate Udaydeep Singh Sidhu along with other officials on Saturday visited Amritpal’s residence in Ferozepur.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann is cognizant of the situation and the state government is in touch with the Union External Affairs Ministry to bring him back from Pakistan, they told the family.

Amritpal’s father Jugraj Singh urged the district officials that the state government should discuss the matter with the Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to ensure his son’s return.

Amritpal is married and has a three-month-old daughter. He owns around 8.5 acres of farmland located beyond the border fencing on the Indian side.

He had left on his bike that afternoon but did not return in the evening. The BSF even reopened the frisking gate before dusk in search of him, but he could not be found, his father said.

During summer months, farmers are allowed to access land between the barbed-wire fence and the international border under strict BSF monitoring between 8 am and 5 pm. Several farmers from border districts including Fazilka, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar and Tarn Taran have agricultural land in this area, known as the “zero line.”

Punjab