PoK girl crosses over, sent back

JAMMU: Family arguments can sometimes lead to unpredictable consequences, as happened in the case of Anida Khan, resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Sixteen-year-old Anida from Kotli village in Kathar had a quarrel with her parents who wanted her to be married, but the spunky girl rebelled and left home, only to end up a mere 400 metres from the Indian checkpost.
The Indian soldiers, on seeing her lost and bewildered, called some local villagers and brought her over to the Indian side in their presence.She was taken to Sunari Gali and from there to Mendhar police station where she was arrested late Wednesday evening. She had crossed over to India 14 km south of Krishna Ghati.
A student of class X, local sources say Anida’s family had crossed over to PoK in 1965 and she still has relatives on the Indian side. Her maternal uncle resides here and she was trying to get to his place. The Army was in a fix once she crossed over and though she was taken to Mendhar police station, she was not formally handed over but lodged in Army ambulance parked inside the police station.
Local civil and police officials camped in the police station till late in Wednesday night. Her statement was recorded in the morning while the Army contacted its counterparts across the border on the hotline. A flag meeting was fixed at Roshni Post where the girl was handed over to the PoK officials.