Exhibiting its humane and compassionate conduct, the Indian Army on Friday safely repatriated three children of a Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) village who had on Wednesday crossed the Line of Control (LOC) in the Poonch Sector.
These children between 9 to 17 years of age were given gift packets by the local children and the Army before they were handed over to the Pakistani Army in presence of their parents at a LOC crossing.
One of these Pakistani boy appreciated the conduct of the Indian Army and said they were very nice to us and took us for a visit to the town where we played cricket with local children. “We were also served good food”, he said.
Defence spokesman, Colonel Devender Anand said that the Indian Army troops on 18 August apprehended three children in Poonch, who crossed the Line of Control from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir to Indian side. Indian troops deployed along the LOC in Poonch sector through their well coordinated and effective surveillance network observed a suspicious movement on Indian side of the LOC. The area was immediately cordoned and three individuals were apprehended. The apprehended individuals turned out to be young children. There was a fourth person who was the eldest amongst them and managed to run away from the LOC.
Indian troops did not open fire on the individual attempting to cross back to POJK, since the troops noticed that they were children.
On interaction, the children revealed that they belong to Chhatra and Troti Dharmshal villages across the LOC. They claim to be labourers excavating sand from river and nallah beds and they crossed the line of control while fishing.
The children were treated very humanely and compassionately beholding the finest traditions of the Indian Army. The children were safely repatriated to POJK. This reminds us of the time when Indian Army repatriated three girls in December 2020, proving that Indian Army is not only ever alert for our safety, but treats innocent with compassion and care.