Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday night spoke to the family members of an Indian soldier, whose grandmother passed away after hearing the news of his capture in Pakistan.
The Union home minister telephoned the close family members of Chandu Babulal Chohan, son of Bashan Chohan, who hails from Dhule in Maharashtra, after learning about the demise of his grandmother.
Sources said Chandu’s grandmother died of shock after hearing the news that he has been captured by Pakistani forces.
Singh assured Chandu's family members that the government is doing its best to bring back home the soldier safe.
Singh said the government has taken note of the reports which stated that an Indian soldier is in Pakistan’s captivity.
“All attempts are being made to secure his release,” he told reporters.
The home minister also said that New Delhi will take up the matter with Islamabad for his early release.
Indian Army sources had said on Thursday that ‘one soldier from 37 Rashtriya Rrifles with weapon has inadvertently crossed over to the other side of the Line of Control. Pakistan has been informed by the Director General of Military Operations on the hotline’.
The sources said his crossing over was not related to the surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army at terror launch pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
“Such inadvertent crossing by the army and civilians are not unusual on either side. They are returned through existing mechanisms,” they had said.
The Indian Army had on Thursday rejected as 'false and baseless' reports in a section of Pakistani media that eight Indian soldiers were killed and one captured by Pakistani military in retaliatory fire.
Indian Army sources said, "As regard (to the) report of killing of eight Indian Army personnel reported in sections of Pakistan media, the report is completely false and baseless."
Army's reaction had came after Pakistan’s Dawn News reported that Pakistani military has claimed that it has killed eight Indian soldiers and captured one while retaliating to India’s firing at the first line of defence at the Line of Control at Tatta Pani.
India had carried out surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army inflicting 'significant casualties' on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
IMAGE: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during an all-party meeting in New Delhi. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo
