23-year-old Amritpal Singh from Ferozepur, Punjab, accidentally crossed into Pakistan on June 21 while tending farmland near the border; later confirmed in Pakistani police custody.
SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal urged EAM S. Jaishankar to secure his safe return, citing Amritpal’s mental health condition and calling for legal and consular access.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann assured the family that the state is in contact with the External Affairs Ministry, and efforts are underway to bring Amritpal back.
Shiromani Akali Dal MP and former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has called on External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to secure the safe return of Amritpal Singh, a 23-year-old farmer from Khaire ke Uttar village in Punjab’s Ferozepur district, who inadvertently crossed into Pakistan on June 21. Amritpal, who owns about 8.5 acres of farmland beyond the border fencing but on the Indian side, went missing after tending his fields near Border Outpost Rana under Border Security Force (BSF) supervision. He failed to return before the border gate’s scheduled closure at 5 pm, prompting concern from his family and local authorities.
BSF personnel, after discovering footprints leading toward Pakistan, held three to four flag meetings with Pakistani Rangers. Initially, the Rangers denied any sightings, but on June 27, they confirmed Amritpal was in the custody of local police in Pakistan. Amritpal’s family, including his father Jugraj Singh, who noted his son had been under mental stress, has appealed for urgent intervention, highlighting that the crossing was unintentional and due to his psychological condition.
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, in her letter and social media posts, emphasized that Amritpal’s mental health challenges contributed to the incident and urged the government to provide consular and legal access for him and his family. She called for diplomatic engagement with Pakistan to ensure his compassionate and timely release, citing international protocols that recommend leniency in such cases, especially when mental health is involved.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and state officials have assured the family that they are in touch with the Union External Affairs Ministry and monitoring the situation closely. The case has drawn attention to the risks faced by farmers with land near the “zero line” and the need for sensitive handling of inadvertent border crossings.