J&K police arrest Afghan national in Kathua

A 17-year-old Afghan national was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police at Lakhanpur in Kathua district on Tuesday. He was nabbed by police while on his way to Kashmir.

Kathua: A 17-year-old Afghan national was arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police at Lakhanpur in Kathua district on Tuesday. He was nabbed by police while on his way to Kashmir.

Identified as Abdul Rehmani of Kabul, the teenager had reached India with valid travel documents in July this year as an attendant to his brother, an Afghan Army soldier, who was undergoing treatment for a bullet injury at RR Hospital in Delhi, Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police R C Kotwal said.

Rehmani's passport and visa are valid till October and documents have been verified with the Afghan embassy. Rehmani will be further interrogated. He is a minor, 2014 born and some currencies are only in his possession, said Kotwal.

Rehmani was arrested from an interstate bus coming from Delhi when all passengers were boarded off the vehicle for mandatory rapid antigen tests for Covid-19 at Lakhanpur, the entry point to Jammy and Kashmir from the Punjab side.

During preliminary interrogation, Rehmani reportedly told the police that he was going to Kashmir for an onward journey to Afghanistan as he was feeling homesick. However, a case was registered by the police and Rahman is being interrogated.