Indian solider Chandu Babulal Chavan, posted with 37 Rashtriya Rifles, had crossed over to the Pakistani territory in the Mendhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir hours after India launched a surgical strikes across the Line of Control on the night of 29 September. The 22-year-old soldier from Dhule district of North Maharashtra was released by Pakistani authorities on 21 January, but he seems to be "traumatised and incoherent", reported the Hindustan Times.
Lt Gen DS Hooda, Northern Commander, told HT that Chavan "had gone missing from his post after an argument with the JCO (junior commissioned officer). Soon, we got information that he had gone across."
But now that he's back, army officials said that he needed help walking and was like a "lost child."
It has been four months since Chavan was in Pakistan's custody, and senior army officials told the paper that he may have been "thrashed by members of the Pakistani army and the ISI", who waited for his wounds to heal before returning him.
The residents of his native village Bohivir were overjoyed at his return.
"It is unbelievable and the news is still sinking in. We are so happy for us, its like all festivals Diwali, Holi coming together simultaneously and we shall celebrate when he comes home after such a long time," his married sister Rupali Patil told IANS.
Pakistan defence and border authorities handed him over to Indian authorities at the Wagah-Attari Joint Check Post. After hearing of the news of his capture, his grandmother suffered a heart attack and died. (With inputs from IANS)