Khushi Gupta
Published on: April 7, 2022 at IST
An Affidavit filed by Union Government in the Supreme Court states India considers that 83 missing Defence Personnel, including Prisoners of Wars of 1965 and 1971are waiting for their Release from Pakistan’s Custody.
According to the Document submitted by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) before a Bench, headed by Justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, the Centre furnished a list of 83 Defence Personnel to the Pakistan Government seeking their release.
“The list of 83 missing Indian Defence Personnel is enclosed. The esteemed Ministry (of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan) is requested to look into the Matter, their whereabouts, and for the early release and repatriation of the missing Indian Defence Personnel,” the letter, issued through the High Commission of India in Islamabad, said.
Out of 83 Personnel, 62 were considered to be the Prisoners of War from 1971 Bangladesh’s Liberation War. Among 21 Personnel, five Indian Army Men, including one Captain, went missing. In 1997, two Army Men went missing again. One of them was Captain Sanjit Bhattacharjee.
Sanjit was part of a Contingent Patrolling along the Indo-Pak border in the Rann of Kutch, Gujarat. On April 19, 1997, Captain Sanjit along with Lance Naik Ram Bahadur Thapa went missing while 15 others belonging to the squad returned to their camp.
The Ministry of External Affairs Affidavit has been filed in response to a Petition filed in the Supreme Court by Captain Sanjit’s mother, Kamla Bhattacharjee, demanding safe return of her son from Pakistan.
“The High Commission of India in Islamabad has been regularly taking up the matter with the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for ascertaining the whereabouts and early release and repatriation of missing Indian Defence Personnel, believed to be in Pakistan’s Custody. The name of Captain Sanjit appears in the list of missing Indian Defence Personnel shared with Pakistan through various Notes Verbale issued by the High Commission of India,” stated the Affidavit.