Kashmiri man detained in Gujarat for attempting to cross Kutch Border to meet Pakistani woman, released after investigation

BHUJ, GUJARAT: A 36-year-old man from Jammu and Kashmir was detained by police after he arrived in Khavda village in Gujarat’s Kutch district, intending to cross the border into Pakistan to meet a woman he connected with online, officials said on Wednesday.

Imtiyaz Sheikh, a resident of Bandipora district, travelled to Kutch with the hope of meeting a Pakistani social media influencer from Multan. Believing he could legally enter Pakistan via the Kutch border, Sheikh sought assistance from local residents to gain permission from authorities.

“Sheikh reached Khavda hoping to cross the border and enter Pakistan to meet a woman he met online. He was under the impression that he could cross into Pakistan from this border. We detained him after he reached Khavda on Tuesday,” said Kutch (west) Superintendent of Police Sagar Bagmar.

After conducting a preliminary investigation and verifying facts with Sheikh’s family and local police in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities determined that there was no threat and released him later that evening.

Bagmar said Sheikh appeared to be mentally unsound.

Inspector MB Chauhan said Sheikh’s misguided attempt stemmed from his search for a simpler route to meet the influencer, as travelling from Kashmir was not feasible.

“Sheikh was attracted towards a Pakistani social media influencer from Multan city and decided to meet her. He used Google Maps and concluded that Kutch was his best option,” Chauhan added.

He sought help from villagers to secure permission from authorities to legally enter Pakistan. “We brought him to the police station after being alerted by villagers,” said Chauhan. (PTI)