JAIPUR: A teenage Pakistani couple who illegally crossed the border into India near Jaisalmer in search of a better life were found dead from thirst and dehydration in the Thar desert.
The couple, Ravi Kumar (17) and Shanti Bai (15), had married four months ago in Pakistan’s Sindh province and reportedly crossed over after their visa applications were rejected amid strained Indo-Pak relations.
Despite warnings from family, they crossed the border carrying a jerry can of water, which was found empty beside their bodies. Police suspect they lost their way in the desert. Pakistani ID cards were recovered from the site, prompting a high-level security probe.
According to officials, Ravi and Shanti had been married four months ago in Mirpur Mathelo, in Pakistan’s Ghotki district of Sindh province. The couple had reportedly dreamed of building a safer and more secure life in India and had applied for travel visas. However, their applications were rejected.
Undeterred, the couple decided to cross the heavily guarded international border without authorisation. Ravi’s father had strongly opposed the idea and even had an argument with him a week prior. Still, the young couple proceeded with their plan.
After entering Indian territory, they appear to have lost direction in the harsh desert terrain, eventually succumbing to the intense heat and lack of water. A medical board has since conducted a post-mortem examination of the bodies.
Speaking on the matter, Dilip Singh Sodha, district coordinator of the Hindu Pakistani Displaced Union and Border People Organization, said the deceased belonged to the Ghulam Hussain Legari village in Sindh’s Ghotki district. Some of their relatives currently reside in India.
"On June 21, Ravi reportedly left his home on a motorcycle with Shanti Bai after a disagreement with his father. Despite having submitted their passports and visa documents for religious travel to India, the process stalled after the Pahalgam terror attack. Frustrated with the uncertainty, Ravi insisted on leaving. Their motorcycle and clothes were later found about 20 km inside Pakistani territory from the border," Sodha said.
Sodha added that many Hindu families from Dalit and tribal communities had migrated to Pakistan’s Sindh region from Jodhpur and Jaisalmer decades ago, before the fencing of the border.
“Since the 1990s, cross-border movement has become increasingly difficult, especially for persecuted minorities. The couple’s refugee cards have been traced, and their identities have been confirmed by family members through social media,” he said.
Jaisalmer Superintendent of Police, Sudhir Choudhary, said that the discovery of Pakistani national identity cards with the bodies has raised security concerns. Authorities are not ruling out the possibility of infiltration or other criminal angles. A multi-agency investigation is currently underway, and legal formalities are being followed as per protocol.
Sodha added that if the Indian government chooses not to repatriate the bodies to Pakistan, their relatives in Jaisalmer are willing to perform the final rites according to Hindu traditions.