Straying Pakistani cousins back home

Border security force officials have handed over two boys to Pakistani Rangers. They were arrested after straying across the Barmer border in Rajasthan on April 10. A joint interrogation team of various intelligence agencies had found them innocent.

Additional Superintendent Police, Barmer, Shivraj Meena told HT on Friday the two boys Azhar Ansari (18) and his cousin Zoaib Ali (10) were sent back on Thursday evening since nothing incriminating was found against.

Meena said, "They were quizzed by a team of officers from the BSF, RAW, CID and the Rajasthan Police at the border intelligence office."

He said, "As per the report submitted by the investigating team, the boys were innocent. And the duo, who apparently dug the earth below a barbed wire fence on the Indo-Pak border to sneak into Barmer on Saturday, were apprehended by the BSF on April 10 and handed over to police the next day."

Sources said the boys told had the joint investigating team they left home after a quarrel with their parents.

Some India currency notes and a mobile charger were recovered from their possession, Meena added. The families of the boys had made appeals to the governments of both countries to take steps for their early release.

The members of two families said, “We want the Indian and Pakistani governments to help us to get them back. Our children have made a mistake.”