PoK youth crosses LoC after social media romance, apprehended by Army
According to officials closely following the ongoing investigation, Mir was deeply disturbed by his family in Muzaffarabad, who constantly put pressure on him to earn a living and shoulder the financial burden of the household.
They said that at first glance Mir appeared “innocent and deeply distressed” and had become severely depressed due to the ongoing internal discord.
They said that during this period of emotional vulnerability, Mir connected with Tulwari village resident Irum Bano via Snapchat, and the digital connection quickly turned into an emotional bond, accelerated by the discovery that Mir’s ancestors actually came from the border village where the girl resided.
Finding solace in their common roots, Mir confided his family troubles to Bano, who was looking for a permanent escape for himself, and suggested that she stop enduring the pain in PoK and move to the Indian side.
Officials said the two discussed a plan under which Mir would legally claim his family’s ancestral property in the village and settle permanently in Jammu and Kashmir, after Mir would cross the LoC and surrender directly to the Army and serve the legal penalty for illegal entry into the country and would later be released.
Motivated by the hope of a new life, Mir embarked on the dangerous journey on Saturday night only to be captured by Army troops. After her arrest and subsequent interrogation, the girl was summoned to check the veracity of Mir’s account. He appealed to the army and local authorities, asking for tolerance and demanding that Mir be allowed to stay on this side of the fence rather than be deported.
Officials, however, said security agencies are verifying this narrative to rule out any external manipulation or hidden angles before deciding on the legal course of action.
The army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps also expressed concerns about Mir’s X, stating that the troops showed utmost restraint during the operation. “A POJK intruder was captured as he crossed the Line of Control in the Uri Sector, when he was intercepted by the alerted Chinar Warriors.
Cautious troops maintained composure as they challenged the intruder and surgically apprehended the individual. The army stated that the attacker was handed over to JKP (Jammu and Kashmir Police) for further legal proceedings.
Cross-LoC family ties are not uncommon in Jammu and Kashmir and a large number of families living in the border areas have close relatives residing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and marriages between families divided by the Line of Control have historically been a commonplace feature in these border areas.
