Indian Army hands over Pak boy's body recovered from stream along LoC to Pak Army

In a humanitarian gesture, the Indian Army Thursday handed over to the Pakistan Army the body of a seven-year-old boy it recovered from a stream flowing from across the Line of Control (LoC).

The boy, identified as Abid Ahmad Sheikh, was a resident of Minimarg across LoC in Gilgit region.

The Indian Army Tuesday said the body was recovered from the Burzil Nala close to the LoC near Acchura village in Gurez and was handed over to the Pakistan Army near Dudhgai village Thursday.

"The Indian Army immediately swung into action and was able to establish the identity of the young boy through civil administration," the Indian Army said.

According to reports on social media, the Indian Army found that the boy was missing since Monday and might have slipped into the Burzil Nala.

"In accordance to Indian Army ethos, as a humanitarian gesture, the Indian Army established contact with the Pakistan Army on hotline and also convinced the civil administration to facilitate handing over of the body at the earliest," it said.

The local religious head and village elders were taken into confidence to support the gesture of handing over the body to the family of the young boy at the earliest, the Indian Army said.