India repatriates 66 Pak visa offenders

The prisoners, most of them arrested under the Indian Passport Act, walked over to their mother country through the Joint Check Post at the International Border in Attari after serving varying periods of jail terms.

Singh said of the 66 repatriates, 14 were lodged in the Central Jail in Attari while others were brought from jails in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi.

Majority of them were couples who were arrested under the Indian Passport Act for offences of overstay and tampering of visa. The government had issued Emergency Travel Certificate for their return.

Many of the repatriates had little hope of a return and they were elated at the Indian Government8217;s gesture. Jobin Bai and her daughter Roshan termed the release as a 8220;new birth8221;.

They had crossed the border in May to visit her maternal grandfather at Surat. While returning, they were arrested at the Attari Railway Station for allegedly tampering with the visa and sent to jail, they said.

Though released, Sultan Mandra and Iqbal Shah were perturbed as they were curious to know about their families, from whom they had not received any letter during the detention period.