PoK girl repatriated from J

Jammu, June 21 (UNI) A teenage girl from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), who evaded her forced marriage and crossed over to India, was repatriated from Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir this evening, a defence spokesman said.

Sixteen-year-old Anida Khan, daughter of Mandhik Khan of Kathar in PoK, was apprehended by the troops of 10 Infantry Brigade located at Krishna Ghati in Poonch last afternoon.

''She was handed over to PoK authorities during flag meeting at 1730 hrs in Poonch,'' a defence spokesman said.

The girl reportedly entered into the Indian territory at 1115 hrs yesterday and was caught by the Army personnel and brought to Sungri Gali, from where she was taken to Mendhar police station.

However, the girl was not handed over to the police and kept inside an Army gypsy the entire night, sources in Mendhar police station told UNI.

''No police personnel has seen the girl, who was brought to the police station. A woman constable, who was called in on duty, was also not allowed to meet her (girl) who was accompanied by some locals,'' sources said, adding no report had been lodged with the police.

''Army requested for a woman constable to accompany the girl this morning, which was provided by the police,'' they added.

Army spokesmen of Nagrota-based XVI Corps as well as the Northern Command were not available to comment on why the girl was not handed over to the civil administration and kept in Army custody.

UNI