MP man claims the ‘spy’ held in Pakistan is his mentally-challenged brother

Police in Pakistan’s Punjab province had last week claimed to have arrested an “Indian spy”, Raju Lakshman, in the town of Dera Ghazi Khan.

Speaking to PTI, Dilip Pindare, a resident of Indawadi village in Khandwa district, has claimed the person arrested by Pakistan police was his mentally challenged brother.

“Two persons in civil dress had come to our house yesterday (Saturday). They showed us pictures on their mobile phone. The person seen in the picture is Raju, who is my mentally challenged elder brother,” said Dilip Pindare.

Dilip said his father Lakshman works as a farm labourer.

He said Raju had been mentally challenged since the past 15 years, and it was common for him not to return home for one-two months.

“We don’t have money and our family couldn’t afford treatment for his mental illness,” he claimed.

Dilip also said that Raju had dropped out of school after he failed in class five.

“Raju used to ask for food from anyone he came across in streets or from residents. He had left home sometimes back. We received information about a fortnight back that he was roaming in nearby areas,” he claimed.

When asked how Raju landed in Pakistan as claimed by him, Dilip said the Pindare family was also looking for answers.

“How can a mentally challenged person reach so far in Pakistan without any money?” Dilip asked.

When asked why no missing person complaint was filed with police, Dilip said they didn’t do so because the family was used to the long absence of Raju from home.

When contacted, Khandwa Superintendent of Police (SP) Shivdayal Singh told PTI police had no information about the episode.

“We have no communication about the verification of any person. As of now, we don’t have any information about any such person going missing from the district,” said Singh. A Pakistan Police official had claimed that a team of the border military police had arrested 30-year-old Raju Lakshman during patrolling in Punjab province.

“The security agencies are interrogating him to know whether he crossed over to Dera Ghazi Khan town inadvertently or for spying purpose,” he had said.