Pakistani Ranger Held by India Amid War Tensions

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday detained a Pakistani Ranger along the international border in Rajasthan, days after Pakistan Rangers apprehended BSF constable Purnam Kumar Sahu. Sahu, deployed with the 182nd battalion as part of the ‘Kisan Guard’ tasked with protecting farmers near the Ferozepur sector in Punjab, inadvertently crossed the border on April 23 and was taken into custody by Pakistani forces.

The identity of the detained Pakistani Ranger has not been disclosed. He is currently held by the BSF’s Rajasthan Frontier. Although India and Pakistan have established protocols to return personnel who cross the border by mistake, Pakistan has refused to release Sahu or provide clarity on his condition, amid escalating tensions.

Shortly after the Pakistani Ranger's detention, Pakistani troops initiated unprovoked small arms fire across multiple sectors of the Line of Control (LoC) — including Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani, and Akhnoor — marking the tenth consecutive night of ceasefire violations. Indian forces responded proportionately, military sources said. This episode is being described as the most extensive ceasefire breach in recent weeks, with widespread Pakistani post involvement. No casualties have been reported so far.

Despite several flag meetings, Pakistan has not committed to Sahu’s release or confirmed his whereabouts. He is believed to be held at a Pakistan Rangers facility near the Lahore-Amritsar corridor. According to BSF officials, Sahu crossed the border unknowingly while resting under a tree near the zero line — a type of incident usually resolved quickly under standard procedures. However, Pakistan’s refusal to cooperate has disrupted the process.

Sahu’s pregnant wife, Rajani, travelled from Rishra in West Bengal to Punjab earlier this week, where she met senior officers of her husband's unit in Ferozepur. She was accompanied by their son and other family members.

The incident unfolds against a backdrop of heightened hostilities following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India has blamed Pakistan for supporting the perpetrators, reportedly linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

In retaliation, India has taken several punitive measures — suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari-Wagah border crossing, withdrawing diplomatic staff, banning imports, and halting postal and maritime exchanges with Pakistan.

Further straining ties, Pakistan conducted a test launch of its Abdali surface-to-surface missile on Saturday, which Indian officials condemned as a “blatant provocation.” The missile, with a 450 km range, was tested under "Exercise INDUS" to validate technical parameters, reports UNB.