Pregnant wife of BSF jawan in Pakistan custody heads to border

RISHRA: The pregnant wife of Purnam Kumar Shaw , a BSF jawan in Pakistani custody after accidentally straying across the border in Punjab while on duty on April 23, said she would leave for Firozpur on Sunday to "seek answers".

"I cannot sit and wait here till eternity. Purnam would call me every evening and narrate what happened during the day. But I have not heard from him for 72 hours now. If I don't get help there, I will go to Delhi and seek answers from PMO," Rajani said at Rishra in Bengal's Hooghly district. She cited as a source of added anxiety a photo of a blindfolded Purnam released by Pakistan. Rajani last spoke to Purnam on Tuesday.

Though the commanding officer of BSF battalion initially tried to dissuade Rajani from heading to Firozpur due to her pregnancy, saying the force was discussing his release with Pakistan Rangers, she later received permission to travel. Rajani's two sisters and a cousin brother will accompany her.

Purnam's mother Devanti Devi also voiced distress: "I just want my son to return. It's been a long time since I heard from him," Devanti said. On Saturday, Bengal govt officials met the family and reassured them that the state was pursuing Purnam's case with the Centre.