HC seeks Centre’s response on missing Amritsar youth who strayed into Pak

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday sent notices to the Centre on a plea to bring back an Amritsar boy, who had accidentally ventured into Pakistan in 1984.

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday sent notices to the Centre on a plea to bring back an Amritsar boy, who had accidentally ventured into Pakistan in 1984.

The court was told that the family was poor and due to illiteracy had failed to take up the matter.(HT File Photo)

The public interest litigation has been filed by Swaran Singh, ex-sarpanch of Kot Rajada village. The village falls on the border with Pakistan under Ajnala tehsil in Amritsar district. As per the petitioner, in November 1984, five-year-old Nanak Singh alias Kakar Singh had accidently ventured into Pakistan.

His parents searched for him but in vain, said petitioner’s lawyer Sanjeev Patial. The court was told that the family was poor and due to illiteracy had failed to take up the matter. Kakar Singh’s name was on a list of Indians (shared in 2005) in Pakistan jails. However, at that time the Border Security Force and the family could not identify him. Kakar’s identity was revealed to his family much later. He is currently in a Pakistan jail, the court was told.

The court has sought the government’s response by July 14.