An Aligarh man who entered Pakistan without a visa to meet a woman he knew on Facebook remains lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail. His family says he has completed his sentence and is still awaiting repatriation.
A man from Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh crossed into Pakistan without a visa in pursuit of a woman he met on Facebook, only to land in prison after his identity aroused suspicion. Months later, even after reportedly completing his sentence, he remains lodged in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail as his family pleads with the government to secure his return.
Badal Babu worked as a tailor in Delhi before befriending a Pakistani woman named Sana on Facebook. According to his family, their online friendship gradually developed into a romantic relationship.
His family says Badal last spoke to them on October 30, 2024. They claimed that he had left all his documents at home before disappearing.
It was only around 20 months ago, when videos and posts about him began circulating on social media, that they discovered he had entered Pakistan illegally and had been arrested.
According to the family’s account, Badal first attempted to travel to Pakistan in August 2024 but was unsuccessful. He later managed to cross the border without a visa and reached Pakistan on October 15, 2024.
The family has claimed that after Sana declined to marry him, Badal stayed back in Pakistan and took up work there. He remained in touch with his relatives over phone calls.
His troubles reportedly began on December 27, 2024, when he was grazing goats for his employer.