A resident of Sirsa, Haryana, is running from pillar to post seeking help from authorities to trace his brother, who he claims has been languishing in Pakistan jails since 1967, when he was allegedly abducted by some people and then pushed into the neighbouring country.
Sixty-year old Suraj Bhan's travails began 38 years ago when his brother, Madan Lal, was 'kidnapped by some unknown persons on his way back home from Ellenabad and taken to Ganga Nagar on the Rajasthan border from where he was forcibly pushed into Pakistan,' Bhan claimed, showing his correspondence with the Ministry of External Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission in this regard.
In one of the letters that he received from the MEA as late as 10 days ago, it is mentioned that Madan Lal entered Pakistani territory in 1967 and was lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore. He was last seen in June 1984 in Bhawalnagar Jail, after which his whereabouts are not known.
According to Bhan, the letter has revived hopes in the family about the return of his lost brother one day. After receiving the letter, Bhan also went to Wagah border last week when India and Pakistan exchanged over 500 civilian prisoners in the hope trying to get some information on his brother.
Bhan says he circulated pamphlets along with an old picture of his lost brother among the freed Indians in his bid to get some clues about him, but to no avail.