Amritpal Singh, a resident of Khaire ke Uttar village in Ferozepur district, went missing along the India-Pakistan border on June 21. He had gone to tend his farmland located across the barbed fencing near Border Outpost Rana under Border Security Force (BSF) supervision.
Amritpal failed to return before the scheduled closure of the gate at 5 pm.
The BSF held three to four flag meetings with Pakistani Rangers, who initially denied any sightings of an unknown person. However, on June 27, the Pakistani Rangers confirmed to the BSF authorities that Amritpal was in the custody of local police.
In a post on X, Harsimrat said she has urged the external affairs minister to initiate diplomatic communication with relevant authorities in Pakistan to ensure the safe release of Amritpal.
“I have apprised the external affairs minister that this incident occurred because Amritpal was suffering from mental stress & emotional disturbance. Have also urged the minister to offer consular and legal access to Amritpal and his family during this difficult period,” the Bathinda MP said.
Harsimrat also shared a letter which she wrote to the Union minister.
“On 21st June, Amritpal, in a mentally distressed state, went to plough his agricultural land, which is situated on the Indian side but extends beyond the border fence, an area that often leads to confusion among local farmers.
“Due to his psychological condition, he accidentally crossed the international border and entered Pakistani territory. He was apprehended by Pakistani authorities and, as per the latest information, is being held in a jail under the custody of Punjab Police, Pakistan,” she wrote in the letter.
She said Amritpal’s family and the local community are deeply distressed by his detention, especially considering his mental health challenges.
“His inadvertent crossing was not an act of intent but a result of his vulnerable mental state, as corroborated by his family and local officials. International protocols and past precedents emphasize the need for compassionate handling and diplomatic resolution in such inadvertent border crossing cases, particularly when the individual involved is mentally unwell,” she wrote in the communication.
Amritpal’s father Jugraj Singh on Saturday urged the External Affairs Ministry to ensure his safe return to India at the earliest.
Amritpal is married and has a three-month-old daughter. He owns around 8.5 acres of farmland located beyond the border fencing on the Indian side.
He had left on his bike that afternoon but did not return in the evening on June 21. The BSF even reopened the frisking gate before dusk in search of him, but he could not be found, his father said.
During summer months, farmers are allowed to access land between the barbed-wire fence and the international border under strict BSF monitoring between 8 am and 5 pm. PTI CHS KVK KVK
