Man on pilgrimage to Pakistan goes missing

amritsar — An Indian national, who had gone to Pakistan on a 10-day pilgrimage as part of the Sikh Jatha on April 12, has failed to return home, police said.

The Sikh Jatha returned home on Saturday but 24-year-old Amarjit Singh, a resident of village Niranjanpura in Amrtisar district, was not part of it. “The group of Sikh pilgrims after observing Baisakhi festival and paying obeisance at various Sikh shrines in Pakistan returned yesterday but Amarjit Singh was found missing”, SSP, Amritsar, Parampal Singh said.

Singh had arrived in Pakistan along with other pilgrims to celebrate Baisakhi on April 12.

His disappearance was only noticed when the Jatha started its return journey to India, according to a Pakistani media report.

Singh’s passport, like that of other pilgrims, was with the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), who immediately informed top officials when Singh failed to collect it within the stipulated time. “Initial investigation shows that Amarjit Singh separated himself from the group members on a visit to Gurdwara Janamestan in Nankana Sahib (some 80km from Lahore) on April 16 and disappeared,” an official of ETPB said.

The ETPB came to know about his disappearance when Singh did not turn up on Saturday along with other Sikhs at the Wagah railway station to leave for their homeland. Singh and others have a valid Pakistani visa for April 21.

The official further said the police have launched a search in Nankana Sahib where a good number of Sikh families are residing. “No FIR has been registered as yet in this regard,” he said. According to an initial probe, Singh disappeared on reaching Lahore from Nankana Sahib. A search to locate him is underway, the report said.

Earlier, a woman member of the Jatha, Kiran Bala too failed to come back after she reportedly solemnised marriage in Pakistan with a Muslim after embracing Islam. — PTI