Pakistan on Saturday handed over an Indian soldier Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan who crossed LoC and came mistakenly to Pakistan on September 29, 2016.
A statement by the Pakistani military claimed that the Indian soldier willfully came to Pakistan due to his grievances of maltreatment by his superiors and surrendered himself to the Pakistani military.
“Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chohan, an Indian Army soldier, stationed in Indian-occupied Kashmir, deserted his post at LoC due to his grievances of maltreatment against his commanders. He willfully crossed LoC on 29 September 2016 and surrendered himself to Pakistan Army. As a gesture of goodwill and in continuation of our efforts to maintain peace and tranquility along LoC and WB, Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chohan has been convinced to return to his own country and will be handed over to Indian authorities at Wagah Border on humanitarian grounds.” an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.
“As the ISPR Press Release itself confirms, Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan had crossed over inadvertently. There have been occasions in the past as well of inadvertent crossings of soldiers from both sides,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) sources said.
“In most cases they are repatriated expeditiously. We await the early return of Sepoy Chavan who has been in the custody of Pakistan for nearly four months,” the sources added.
