The youth has been identified as Sharandeep Singh, a resident of Shahkot town in Jalandhar. Police officials in Punjab confirmed that he crossed into Pakistan’s Kasur district, where Rangers detained him in the Sehajra border area during routine patrol. Following initial questioning, he was handed over to the Ganda Singh police station for further legal proceedings.
Sharandeep had gone missing from his home several days earlier, prompting his father, Satnam Singh, to file a missing person’s complaint at Shahkot police station on December 8. The family said they were unable to trace him despite contacting relatives and acquaintances. Days later, one of the youths who had been with Sharandeep reportedly told the family that he had dropped him near the border.
Police sources said Sharandeep had been released on bail from Kapurthala Jail shortly before the incident in connection with an assault case. He has two criminal cases registered against him in Punjab, details of which are being verified by local authorities.
Pakistani police and security agencies are probing how and why Sharandeep crossed the border, examining possibilities ranging from accidental entry to smuggling or espionage-related motives. Officials have said the investigation is ongoing.
The family, however, maintains that the crossing was unintentional. Satnam Singh claimed his son is a drug addict and may have wandered across the border amid poor visibility due to fog. He has appealed to the Central government to intervene and facilitate his son’s safe return.
Confirming the development, Shahkot DSP Sukhpal Singh said Indian authorities are collecting detailed information about the route and circumstances of the border crossing. He added that further action would depend on coordination between the two countries through established diplomatic and security channels.
