'Give Me My Sindoor Back': Ceasefire Offers No Relief For Family of BSF Jawan Captured by Pakistan
Rishra (West Bengal): Eighteen days after Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Purnam Sau was captured by Pakistani troops, and nearly 24 hours after the ceasefire announcement, the 34-year-old soldier remains in military custody.
As India-Pakistan tensions continue to simmer, his family in Rishra, West Bengal, holds on to hope, even as diplomatic efforts show slow progress.
Sau, posted with the 24th Battalion of the BSF in Firozpur, was deployed along the Indo-Pak border on April 23, just a day after 26 Indian tourists were killed in a cross-border terror strike in Pahalgam.
While assisting local farmers in evacuating a vulnerable zone, Sau allegedly crossed the international boundary inadvertently. Pakistani forces reportedly detained him and later released a photograph showing him blindfolded, confirming fears of his capture.
At their modest home in Ward No. 13 of Rishra in Hooghly district, Sau's family is reeling from shock and uncertainty. His wife, Rajani Sau, seven months pregnant, collapsed while narrating her ordeal.
“My husband has been abducted by the Pakistani army. He is in their custody. They have released a blindfolded photo of him,” she sobbed.
Called family hours before his abduction
“BSF officers visited our home and told us they are trying to bring my husband back. But now the situation is like a war. I don’t know what news will come next!”
After returning from a month-long leave, Purnam had resumed duty on April 1. His last call to Rajani came on the night of April 22, just hours before his abduction, when he checked in on her health, as he often did after night shifts.
“So many days have passed, and there’s still no word from him,” she said.
The couple’s eight-year-old son, now cared for by neighbours, remains unaware of the gravity of the situation.
Purnam’s father, Bhola Sau, a retired security guard, voiced frustration at the silence following initial military assurances.
“We went to Firozpur with my daughter-in-law, and the army officers promised they were trying. Now, there’s no update. If we could reach the Prime Minister, we would beg for our son’s return.”
“My son has served the nation for 18 years. Today, we feel abandoned,” said Sau's mother.
The incident has united Rishra’s tight-knit, largely non-Bengali migrant community, descendants of jute mill workers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Locals have taken turns to visit the family’s modest Ward No. 13 home, where TV screens blare news updates around the clock.
Rajani Sau, the wife of captured BSF Jawan Purnam Sau appeals for help. Photo: Joydeep Sarkar
“We’re torn. On one side, war cries; on the other, we beg for peace and Purnam’s safe return. We’ll celebrate with sindoor only when he’s home,” shared Purnam’s brother, Shyamsundar Shau.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her hope last Monday for a swift resolution from the Home Ministry. Hooghly MP Kalyan Banerjee confirmed he raised the issue with BSF commanders.
He said, “I spoke to BSF commanders, who confirmed efforts to secure his release. I visited Purnam’s family too, but the situation has worsened.”
At the mere mention of Operation Sindoor, Rajani broke down, pulling her veil over her face as she wept, “Give me back my sindoor, government!”
This article went live on May eleventh, two thousand twenty five, at seven minutes past six in the evening.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
