2 min readSrinagarUpdated: Jun 1, 2026 11:54 AM IST
The Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a statement on Sunday that an intruder from PoK was “intercepted by alert Chinar warriors while crossing the Line of Control in Uri sector”.
A social media romance prompted a 22-year-old resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to cross over into the Uri sector of north Kashmir, where he was detained by the Army and handed over to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, sources said.
The Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a statement on Sunday that an intruder from PoK was “intercepted by alert Chinar warriors while crossing the Line of Control in Uri sector”.
“The vigilant troops maintained restraint while challenging the intruder and surgically apprehended the individual,” it said.
Sources identified the man as 22-year-old Zeeshan Ahmad, a resident of Rankeri village of Haveli Kahuta in PoK. He was detained near Silikote, a border village of Uri in Baramulla district.
Sources said that during preliminary questioning, it was revealed that he crossed the LoC to meet a woman from a border village in Uri with whom he had developed a romantic relationship. They purportedly connected through social media and fell in love, sources said.
“They first met through social media and developed a love affair. It was during their routine talks that he told her about his problems and family disputes,” said a source, adding, “The girl advised him to escape the problems by crossing over into J&K and settling here.”
According to the source, the woman had advised Ahmed to cross the LoC and surrender to the Indian Army so that he gets a lenient punishment. “She told him that once the punishment period is over, he can settle in the Valley,” the source said.
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The woman was also called in for questioning to corroborate Ahmed’s version of events. Sources said the woman corroborated his story.
While prima facie, it appears to be a case of cross-border love, sources said, authorities were not leaving anything to chance and are looking into all possibilities. “The Army, together with police, are trying to find out if the love story is a cover-up for something else,” a source said.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
