Indian detenues usually accused of spying, tortured

Wagah, Jun 30 (UNI) Homecoming is hardly a celebration for 56-year-old Harbas Lal who embraced freedom today along with 18 other Indian detenues released by Pakistan.

He has no clue on the where abouts of his wife and two children and would have to look for them to build his life all over again from a scratch.

The oldest man to be released, Lal, a worker in Kathua Mandi in Jammu and Kashmir, was caught in 1993 in Rajouri section when he strayed into the neighbouring country. Tried by a military court, he was tortured and sentenced to 15 years in jail on spying charges despite no concrete proof against him.

''I wrote to my family but there was no feed back. I have doubts on whether those were even posted by the Pakistani authorities,'' says Lal, trying hard to hold back his tears.

Charges of being a spy, torture and a speedy trial condemning them to life behind bars in Pakistani jails are the common fears that haunt Indians who traverse the border land.

Surta Ram, in his late 40s, would readily endorse, the view.

Hailing from Hanunan Garh in Rajasthan, he lost track after a storm shifted the dunes in the desert land seven years ago and was inadvertently crossed the border, and was caught. He was straight away accused of spying. Though the charges were dropped, he had to spend seven years in Pakistani jails before he tasted freedom again today. He, too, has not been in touch with his family, but hopes to find them in his village home.

Swarna Lal, in his late 40s, is returning after 15 years in Pakistani jails. It was in the tricky hill terrain of Samba sector in Jammu and Kashmir that he lost his way to land up in the other side. Charged and tried for spying, he says, he was leading a peaceful life as a labourer daily wager before it took a turn for the worst.

However, eight youth from Punjab, who were released today, were victims of another unfortunate and alarming trend.

Most of them hailing from rural areas, had put evrything on stake, including land, to chase their dream of striking gold in the foreign land. Instead they were thrown from one jail to another in more than one country before landing up finally in Pakistani prisons.

Rakesh Kumar of Nawanshahar, Dalbeer Singh of Jodhanagar Amritsar, Sunny of Hoshiarpur, Malkiat Singh of Kapurthala, all in their twenties, were dumped in Lebanon, or Turkey by unscrupulous travel agents where authorities kept them captive for sometime and then released them at Iran border. Again, they were put in jail and later set free in Pakistan territory where they were tried for entry without proper documents and sent behind bars.

''After such a traumatic experience we are overwhelmed with the thought of meeting our families. We had lost all hope. Our only wish now is that such fraud travel agents must be brought to book so that no more families are ruined,'' said a visibly agitated Rakesh, while others nodded vigorously in support.

UNI JN HS VD ND1916