Mentally adrift float across border,into captivity

But figures from the other side are far more compelling. As many as 42 of the 208 Pakistani nationals apprehended by BSF on Punjab’s international border in the last four years were found to be mentally unsound.

Fifty-year-old Riyaz of Wazirabad district in Pakistan’s Gujranwala wandered into Indian territory on April 22,2009. He was returned the very next day,on April 23.

So was 65-year-old Sagar Ali,a resident of Gandasinghwala village in Kasur district,who crossed over to Indian Punjab on December 27,2009 and was returned the next day.

Though the numbers have come down from 17 in 2007 to 11 each in 2008 and 2009 to three last year,BSF (Punjab Frontier) says being mentally unsound is the easiest alibi to take but if actually found to be so,the apprehended persons are handed over to their families on humanitarian grounds. “But if there is even a shadow of doubt that they are not mentally ill,we hand them over for interrogation to the police,” says Himmat Singh,Inspector General of BSF (Punjab Frontier),which has its headquarter in Jalandhar.

One such victim of doubt was 32-year-old Aurangzeb,who went back to his family in Lahore after four years spent languishing in Ferozepur Central Jail and undergoing treatment twice at the Amritsar mental hospital.

Dr BL Goel,Director,Institute of Mental Health,Amritsar says Aurangzeb was so violent that he was brought to them in chains from Ferozepur central jail. “But in 2006 it was established beyond doubt that he was mentally unsound even before he crossed over to India. A team of 60 psychiatrists and doctors from Pakistan who were in Chandigarh for an international symposium visited our institute. The director of the mental hospital in Lahore recognised Aurangzeb and so did he,” says Goel.

But after one year of treatment,Aurangzeb was sent back to jail only to return in a worse condition in 2008. “He again underwent another year of treatment and showed great improvement. He later showed us a letter from his family in Lahore. He was handed over by the BSF to his relatives finally in 2009,” Goel adds.

There is no one theory to explain how the mentally unsound reach the borders.

“Anyone who crosses the border inadvertently or intentionally is apprehended. There is a minimum distance of 150 yards between the international border and the fence”. But many misunderstand the fence as the international border and cross the line.

“They are warned by our jawans to move back. But some don’t heed the warning and still reach the fence,something which is common with those with unsound minds. They are apprehended but returned back if found to be suffering from some mental ailment,” says BSF IG Singh.

The fact that they are mentally unsound makes it difficult to trace the how and where. “In cases of both Dharmendra and Pooja,it could not be ascertained how they crossed over to Pakistan. While those who are detected during the day are apprehended,at night they are also shot down,” he adds.

The Punjab BSF’s number of those shot while crossing the border totals 28 in the four years since 2007,including 18 Pakistani nationals,eight Bangladeshis and two Indians.

But Pakistan human rights activist Ansar Burney says the issue involves the bigger question of human dignity. “Are these people abandoned or ill-used? There is something more to mentally ill people crossing the borders. They,for sure,cannot do so without support. There are many Indians languishing in Pakistani jails.

“Once they are found to be mentally unsound,it is the government’s responsibility on both sides to hand them back to their families. But sadly,at times,even their families are reluctant to accept them back,” he says.

Something that the BSF,too,confirms in some cases. Burney says many from Pakistan are crossing over to India for reasons ranging from seeking work in the film industry in Mumbai to visa problems.

“Unlike other countries,Pakistan and India issue visas not for the whole country but cities. So,if people even visit cities other than those where they are allowed,they are detained. The trust deficit ensures that the first charge on anyone who crosses the border or goes to another city is of spying.

“Punjab at least has fences to mark the border,several fishermen cross the border in Gujarat while fishing and spend years in jails. How do we define the border on the seas?” he says.