The story of cross-border love related to Khitkari, a small village in Barla area of Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh, has now reached its last point. Badal Babu, a young man who fell in love with a Pakistani girl through social media, has been released from jail after completing his sentence in Pakistan.
At present, he has been kept in the detention center there, from where the process of sending him to India will be started after the necessary legal formalities are completed. This entire matter had created discussion in both India and Pakistan for more than a year. The matter has now once again become a topic of discussion.
Friendship started from Facebook, turned into love
Badal Babu, son of Kripal Singh, resident of village Khitkari of Barla police station of Aligarh, is an ordinary rural youth. About one and a half years ago, he was identified with Sana Rani, a girl from Mandi Bahauddin district of Punjab province of Pakistan, through the social media platform Facebook.
The initial conversation was limited to friendship, but gradually this relationship turned into love. It is said that a conversation started between the two. With time, Badal became so serious about this relationship that he crossed the international border and entered Pakistan without any valid document.
Young man reached Pakistan without visa and passport
In September 2024, Badal Babu suddenly left the house. The family came to know about this when there was no trace of him for a long time. Later it was revealed that he had crossed the India-Pakistan border illegally and reached Pakistan, and stayed there at Shana’s house for two days. Shana’s family threw Badal out of the house.
Laborer in Pakistan, young man again under suspicion
After being thrown out of the house, Badal started grazing goats at a person’s house in Mandi Bahauddin area. The local people became suspicious of him because of his language, dialect and lifestyle. The villagers informed the police about this. On December 27, 2024, the police took Badal into custody under the leadership of local police station in-charge Anjum Shahzad. During investigation it came to light that he had entered the border of Pakistan without passport and visa. After this, legal action was taken against him.
Jail interrogation and investigation agencies
After his arrest, Pakistani security agencies also interrogated Badal. The agencies there remained alert regarding the youth who had come from India. Although the investigation did not reveal any espionage or criminal intent, a case was registered against him for illegal entry. The matter reached the court, where after hearing the Pakistani court sentenced him to one year imprisonment. He completed this sentence in the jail there.
Claim of love, religious conversion and marriage
During jail, Badal Babu claimed that he had converted to Islam and wanted to marry Sana Rani and live a life with her. It was also discussed that he converted to religion while in jail. However, Sana Rani did not accept these claims. On the basis of statements given in the court and mobile-social media chat records, it became clear that Sana is not ready to accept Badal.
After this the matter took the form of one-sided love. Here in India, Badal’s father Kripal Singh was constantly worried about his son’s well-being. Through the internet he contacted a Pakistani lawyer, Fiaz Ramey. The advocate provided legal assistance by defending the case.
Recently the advocate informed Kripal Singh that Badal Babu’s sentence has been completed and he has been released from jail. At present he has been kept in the detention center, where the process of extradition to India is being completed.
Appealed to the Government of India
After receiving the news of his son’s release, Kripal Singh has made an emotional appeal to the Government of India. He said that his son took this step out of ignorance and now he should be brought back to India as soon as possible. The family is eagerly waiting for his return to the village.
