The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday apprehended a 31-year-old Pakistani national after he crossed the Line of Control (LoC) into Indian territory in the Balakote sector of Mendhar subdivision in Poonch district. Notably, this is the second person who has been apprehended by Indian Army along LoC in Poonch within three days.
The accused has been identified as Rayees Khan, son of Bazia Jada Khan and a resident of Rajal Pakthun. According to news agency PTI, Rayees Khan, a resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, was taken into custody from Balakote sector shortly after he crossed the LoC into the Indian side.
Earlier on Saturday, another Pakistani national was apprehended by security forces near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district on Friday.
Officials said that no incriminating material was recovered from the captured intruder, who is being questioned to determine the motive behind his cross-border movement. The authorities are also investigating if he had any intended contacts or objectives on the Indian side.
Notably, the apprehension marks third such incident this month. On Friday, another PoK intruder Mohammad Sajad (26) was arrested from Gulpur area of Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch. Sajad is a resident of Polas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and was intercepted after moving suspiciously during routine surveillance around the area.
Earlier on June 9, Javid Ali (14) was detained and handed over to Pakistan a week later.
Meanwhile, a suspected Pakistani drone briefly entered the Indian side along the international border in Samba district, prompting a search operation by Indian forces.
The drone was noticed hovering near village Nundpur early Sunday, the officials said, adding the Border Security Force (BSF), Army and police later carried out a thorough search operation on the ground to ensure that there is no airdropping of weapons or narcotics from across the border. However, nothing incriminating was found during the searches.
(With reporter + agency inputs)