A 12 year old boy was taken into custody at the Line of Control in the Rajouri district of Jammu Kashmir. The boy, belonging to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK,) entered Nowshera in Rajouri on Friday night. An Indian Army Patrol unit near LoC detained the minor.
A defence spokesperson speaking to media said, “A patrol of the Indian Army along the Line of Control (LoC) apprehended a 12 year old intruder from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) who had crossed over to this side of LoC late last evening in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district.”
Identified as Ashfaq Ali Chauhan, the boy is a son of retired Pakistan Army soldier of Baluch Regiment. Ashfaq along, with his father Hussain Malik, resides in Dunger Pel village in Bhimber of PoK. The patrol found Ashfaq moving suspiciously near the LoC, and surrendered to the Indian Army upon being questioned immediately.
Ashfaq, according to reports was sent by terrorists along with the Pakistan Army to check the routes that can be used to infiltrate across the LoC. The statement read, “In gross violation of human rights, the terrorists along with (the) Pakistan Army have no compunction in using innocent children to probe through dangerous minefields in a heavily militarized zone on the Line of Control to ascertain safe passage for the terrorists attempting to infiltrate. Such inhuman and ruthless acts show the desperation among the terrorists to stoop to low levels of unethical behavior.”
The boy is in custody of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and is being interrogated for further information.
