In an incident that would surely make for a gripping show or film, a ‘mentally ill’ MP man who was jailed in Pakistan returned to India after missing for 30 years.
Prahlad Singh Rajput hailed from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, and strayed to Pakistan about 30 years ago, and endured severe torture living in the custody of India’s neighbour. Due to the prolonged torture, Prahlad is now unable to speak, a clear evidence of post-traumatic stress reaction.
Details
Fans of Bollywood may remember Yash Chopra’s classic Veer Zara – a classic tale of eternal love with a twist of an Indian man thrown into Pakistan custody on false charges. Although the film left a sweet aftertaste owing to its happy ending, not all such stories are happy.
Today we look at the story of Prahlad Rajput, a man who was jailed in Pakistan for more than two decades, and finally stepped on Indian soil, enduring torture which has left him mute.
The Facts of the Matter
Hailing from a village called Ghoshi Patti in Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar, Prahlad Rajput was handed to the BSF (Border Security Forces) personnel at the Wagha Border after he being released from the Rawalpindi jail.
According to reports, Prahlad strayed away from his village when he was about 30 years old. Although his family made frantic efforts to find him, little did they know that Prahlad had strayed over to the most dangerous territories – Pakistan.
Two Indian Nationals Ram Bahadur & Prahlad Rajput from UP/MP released by Pakistan after 30 long years of imprisonment. Both Indian nationals had mistakenly crossed border yet they were tortured brutally by Pakistani forces and kept in solitary confinement. Both mentally unstable. pic.twitter.com/VP4RMNHduh
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) August 30, 2021
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The Missing Pieces of the Puzzle
The how and the why of Prahlad making his way into Pakistan is still unknown. However, reportedly, Prahlad was first taken to a PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) jail and then later thrown into a Rawalpindi jail. Although little is known yet as to the number of years he saw slipping away during his jail time.
But according to a Times of India report, Prahlad spent more years than he was entitled to as the Indian government had no idea about Prahlad’s relatives, and thus, couldn’t open its gates for him. What makes the story even more gut wrenching is the fact that Prahlad is not the only person to have gone through an ordeal like this.
21 ‘Mentally Challenged’ Indian Prisoners in Pakistan Prisons
As many as 21 persons – all mentally challenged – continued rotting away in the Pakistan jail as they couldn’t share the details of their families to the authorities who could start with the process of having them freed.
In 2014, the Indian government were briefed about these 21 persons by the Pakistan authorities who claimed that these people were not able to share pertinent information about their identities.
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How Prahlad Was Brought to India
The same year, Prahlad’s brother Veer Singh was told by the Gaurjhamar police about receiving a tip about Prahlad being living his days in a Pakistan jail.
On finally knowing the whereabouts of his brother, Veer took to the Foreign Ministry and other relevant departments. He was assisted by the Sagar police who helped Veer’s application move forward towards the relevant authorities in the national capital.
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All is Well that Ends Well
Their fruits of labour turned out to be sweet and after seven long years, Prahlad’s identity was corroborated and he was finally a free man. The bharat-milap was an extraordinary one with both the brothers unable to speak – one because of the torture he received, second because of the overwhelming emotions that struck him on seeing his long-lost brother.
