Poonch : Body of a 17-year-old youth was handed over by Pakistan army to their India counterparts at Chakan-Da-Bagh Crossing Point along the Line of Control in Poonch district on Saturday.
The teenager, Zaffer Ahmed son of Mushtaq Ahmed of Kali in Poonch district had drowned and his body washed away in Kalai river on July 31.
Official sources told GNS that the gate opened at Chakan-Da-Bagh Crossing Point at 1354 hours, and Pakistani army officials handed over the body for the last rites by his family. From Indian side, Maj. Aditya 3/3 GR, Akhtar Abbass, Naib Tehsildar Ajote, Dr. Harpreet Singh PHC Ajote and PSI Davinder Singh of PP Khari were present while those from Pakistan include Capt. Shabir 41 Balooch Pak Army and Assistant Commissioner Hajira Waled Hajira and Dr. Liaqat, SHO Hajira Umair, they said. LoC gate at Chakan-Da-Bagh closed at 1400 hours, they added.
The Army had established contact with their Pakistani counterparts as it was believed that the boy’s body might have been swept across the Line of Control (LoC), the officials said.
The Pakistan army confirmed the recovery of a body on August 4 and subsequently Indian Army sent a message through a hotline for the return of the same, they said.
After confirming the identity of the deceased, they said, the modalities were chalked out and the body was handed over to the Indian Army in the presence of civil and police officials at Chakan-Da-Bagh crossing point. (GNS)
