India, Pakistan exchange border force personnel

BSF soldier Purnam Kumar Shaw (centre) at the Wagah border post. Pic/PTI

India and Pakistan on Wednesday handed each other's border-guarding personnel captured by the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Pakistan Rangers respectively at the International Borders (IB) between the two countries, officials said. BSF jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw was handed over to India, 21 days after he was apprehended by the Rangers from along the International Border in Punjab.

The constable, who hails from Rishra in West Bengal's Hooghly district, was handed over to the BSF by Pakistan Rangers at 10.30 am via the Attari-Wagah border front in Punjab.

Shaw was apprehended by the Rangers on April 23 from along the India-Pakistan International Border in Ferozepur district, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack.

The officials said a Pakistan Ranger apprehended by the BSF from the Rajasthan border on May 3 was also handed back to the neighbouring country.
Shaw had "inadvertently" crossed over to the Pakistan territory while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector on April 23 around 11.50 am and detained by the Pak Rangers, he said.

The officials said that the jawan will undergo a full body check-up and medical test followed by a counselling and ‘debriefing' session where he will be asked "relevant questions" by the BSF officials about his 21-day detention by the Rangers.

The jawan, belonging to the 24th BSF battalion, will not be drafted in active duty and will also be part of an official inquiry to look into the sequence of his apprehension by the Rangers and find lapses, if any, they said.

The spokesperson said the handover of the jawan at the border "was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols".

Family thanks Centre

The family members expressed immense relief and gratitude to the central government and BSF authorities for securing his return.

"We are very happy today. We thank the central government and the BSF authorities for their efforts in safely bringing him back. The past two weeks have been filled with sleepless nights and uncertainty for us. We were constantly worried about his well-being," a family member of Shaw told reporters.

"We are now eagerly waiting to speak to him and see him in person. Our prayers have finally been answered," he said.

India test-fires anti-drone system

Pic/X@ani_digital

India recently test-fired a new low-cost counter drone system ‘Bhargavastra', designed and developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) signifying a substantial leap in countering the escalating threat of drone swarms. The micro rockets used in this counter-drone system underwent rigorous testing at the Seaward Firing Range, Gopalpur, on May 13, achieving all designated objectives.

Trump again stakes claim for de-escalation

US President Donald Trump has repeated his claim that Washington "got involved" with India and Pakistan, saying he "didn't like what was happening" and that he did a "good job" as he "convinced" the two countries "to let's have peace and let's go and make trade deals." This is the fifth time Trump has claimed that the US brokered the "ceasefire". India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict. Indian government sources have been maintaining that the DGMOs of the two countries reached an understanding and that no third party was involved.

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