New Delhi: In a diplomatic gesture following recent high tensions, Pakistan on Wednesday handed over Indian Border Security Force (BSF) constable Purnam Kumar Shaw to Indian authorities at the Attari-Wagah border.
Constable Shaw had inadvertently crossed the international border into Pakistan on April 23, 2025, during an operational patrol in the Ferozepur sector of Punjab. He was subsequently detained by Pakistani Rangers. His repatriation was made possible after sustained diplomatic and security-level engagements, including multiple flag meetings between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers.
“Today at 10:30 hrs, Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw has been taken back from Pakistan by BSF at Attari Wagah border,” BSF confirmed in an official statement. “The repatriation was achieved through continuous efforts and established communication channels.”
Shaw’s accidental border crossing occurred just a day after the Pahalgam massacre on April 22, in which 26 tourists — mostly non-Muslim — were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. The attack, the worst in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, drew widespread global condemnation.
In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor at midnight on May 6, targeting nine terror camps and strategic assets inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan responded with drone and missile attacks, which were intercepted and neutralized by India’s advanced air defence systems. In a swift counter-offensive, Indian forces struck multiple Pakistani airbases and critical defence sites.
With mounting pressure and losses, Pakistan called for a ceasefire on the evening of May 10, leading to a de-escalation of the conflict. The return of Constable Shaw is seen as part of the easing tensions between the two countries.
