PTI | April 25, 2025 | Hooghly : In the quiet bylanes of Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, a small two-room house has become the epicenter of hope, anxiety, and unrelenting prayers. Inside, the family of Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Purnam Sahu, who was detained by Pakistan Rangers after inadvertently crossing the border, is grappling with uncertainty and heartbreak.
“He was serving the nation, and now we don’t even know whether he is safe or not,” said Bholanath Sahu, his father, as friends and neighbours offered silent support. “I just want to know where my son is. Is he safe? Is he okay?”
Constable Purnam Sahu, attached to the BSF’s 182nd Battalion, was stationed along the sensitive Ferozepur sector of the India-Pakistan border in Punjab. On Wednesday, while escorting farmers near the International Border, he reportedly stepped a few meters away to rest under a tree — unknowingly entering Pakistani territory. He was swiftly detained by Pakistan Rangers, sources said.
BSF officials confirmed that a flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani border forces took place Thursday night to negotiate his release. However, there has been no update for the family.
“My son had returned from leave just three weeks ago,” Bholanath said, voice cracking. “Now he is gone again, and we don’t know what will happen next. When he will be back home?”
At home, Purnam’s wife Rajani sits in silence, still processing the news.
“He called me Tuesday night,” she whispered. “That was the last time I heard his voice.”
Their seven-year-old son has been kept indoors, shielded from the intensity of the situation.
“How do I explain this to a child?” Rajani asked, breaking down. “He keeps asking when his father will be back.”
Shockingly, the family learned of Purnam’s detention not through official channels, but from one of his colleagues.
“A friend of his called us around 8 p.m. on Wednesday,” Rajani recounted. “Since then, we have had no sleep. We just want him back.”
Bholanath added that he had tried to reach his son earlier that day, but the call went unanswered. “Later, we heard he wasn’t feeling well and had gone to rest. That’s when the Pakistan Rangers picked him up.”
The incident comes at a volatile time, just a day after the devastating Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists — further straining already tense Indo-Pak relations.
While Indian officials say such accidental border crossings by personnel are rare but usually resolved quickly through diplomatic channels, Sahu’s prolonged detention has sparked fresh concerns.
Outside the Sahu residence, media vans and neighbors gather, but inside, the family clings to one united plea.
“We have just one request to the government,” Rajani said through tears. “Bring him home. Whatever it takes — just bring him home.”
