Two Punjab men who were mysteriously swept away into Pakistan by the strong current in the Sutlej river are likely to be handed over back to India soon.

Sources said the Border Security Force (BSF) is holding meetings with the Pakistan Rangers for the return of the two youth who were swept into Pakistan from somewhere in the border district of Ferozepur.

Speaking to The Statesman, the station house officer (SHO), Lakhoke Behram police station in Ferozepur, Bachan Singh said the two men, identified as Ratanpal and Harvinder Singh,  belong to Jagraon area of Ludhiana. He said the sarpanch of their village, Jasvir Singh, has lodged a complaint that they were carried away by the river currents into Pakistan.

After taking the duo in custody, Pakistani Rangers informed the BSF about them. The BSF contacted the Punjab Police for verification of the duo. After the same was confirmed, flag meetings were held between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers on Saturday and Sunday.

“The sarpanch of their village had come. But we are yet to get back the youth from Pakistan. But meetings are on between the Border Security Force and the Pakistan Rangers for their handover,” Singh told The Statesman over phone.

He said the Pakistan Rangers will handover the two to BSF. “The BSF will then handover them to us. We were told the youth will be handed over back to us yesterday but it was not done. Now even today it’s not confirmed when the youth will be handed over to us,” the SHO added.

As per the Sarpanch of Parchia Biharipur village of Sidhwa Bet in Jagraon, Jasvir Singh, the duo Harvinder and Ratanpal had gone to pay obeisance at Golden Temple in Amritsar. But now it has been informed that both Harvinder and Ratanpal have been swept away in the Sutlej and nabbed by the Pakistan Rangers.

Police sources said as both youth were supposed to go to Amritsar but were  swept away by the river from somewhere along the international border in the border district of Ferozepur to the neighbouring country remains a mystery.

“They were caught by the Pakistan rangers at the Gajjanwala Joginder Chowki area. But we don’t know from where they were swept in the river towards Pakistan. This will only be ascertained once the youth are handed over back by the Pakistan Rangers,” Singh said.