A man from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was repatriated to Pakistan on Friday after he allegedly crossed the Line of Control (LoC) and entered Indian territory illegally following contact with a woman from Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri through social media platform Snapchat.
Officials identified the individual as Zeeshan Mir, a resident of Muzaffarabad district in PoK. According to security sources, Mir had been in contact with Iram Majeed, a resident of Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, through Snapchat before allegedly deciding to cross the border.
Security agencies said Mir’s case was treated as an illegal cross-border intrusion given the sensitive nature of the LoC, one of the most heavily guarded borders in the world.
According to officials, Mir crossed into Indian territory around a month before his arrest. He was apprehended on May 31 by personnel of the Indian Army’s 12 Grenadiers near the Silikote sector in Uri during routine surveillance and area domination operations.
Following his detention, multiple agencies carried out questioning, identity verification and background checks to determine the circumstances surrounding his entry into India.
Officials said every unauthorised crossing of the LoC is viewed through a security lens, irrespective of the reasons cited by the individual involved.
After completion of legal and security formalities, Mir was handed over to Pakistan Army officials at the Kaman Aman Setu crossing on July 4.
Sources said the repatriation was conducted as per established procedures governing civilian border-crossing cases between the two sides.
Officials added that Mir was treated in accordance with humanitarian norms and provided necessary assistance during his stay in India.
Investigators found that Mir and the Uri woman had connected through Snapchat before the border crossing took place. Authorities are also examining the sequence of events that led to his movement across the LoC.
The case has once again highlighted how social media platforms can facilitate direct contact between individuals living across politically sensitive borders, creating both personal and security-related challenges for authorities.
The incident comes amid heightened vigilance along the LoC, where security forces continuously monitor infiltration attempts, smuggling routes and unauthorised cross-border movements.
Officials emphasised that while the circumstances of this case appeared personal in nature, any illegal crossing of the LoC remains a matter of national security and is investigated thoroughly before a decision on repatriation is taken.
