The Pakistani boy had died after he had fallen into the Kishanganga river, with his body crossing the border. Indian Army troops retrieved his body from the river in Gurez sector in Jammu and Kashmir. A Pakistani child died after he reportedly fell into Kishanganga River earlier this week. His body was retrieved from the river by Indian Army troops in Kashmir on Thursday. Indian Army handed over the body to Pakistan Army at Gurez itself

Srinagar: In a touching gesture, the Indian Army on Thursday broke 'protocol' on humanitarian grounds to hand over the body of a child to Pakistan along the Line of Control.

The child had reportedly fallen into the Kishanganga River in Achoora village on Tuesday, with his mortal remains eventually crossing the border. 

The Indian Army troops found the child’s body in a village in Gurez town of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. 

Following this, the Indian Army informed their counterparts in Pakistan on the hotline regarding the matter. 

Contrary to protocols, which requires the two parties to meet at established meeting points, the Army offered to hand over the child's mortal remains to Pakistan at Gurez itself. The Army decided to take the step of breaking the protocol on humanitarian grounds. 

Reports suggested that the child had been identified as Aabid Sheikh, who belonged to Minimarg in Astoor village in Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region. He had reportedly gone missing from his house on Monday.

In a humanitarian gesture, the Indian Army handed over the child's body to Pakistan Army on Thursday morning at Gurez. Meanwhile, in a boost for the Army, over 5,000 Kashmiri youth have registered for a week-long Army recruitment rally in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The recruitment rally is being conducted from July 10 to July 16, and has seen the participation of youths from several district of the state, including Anantnag, Kulgam, and Baramulla.

Speaking on this, a defence spokesperson was quoted by a news agency as saying, "An Army recruitment rally commenced today at Haiderbeig, Pattan (Baramulla district). The rally will be conducted from July 10 to July 16, 2019, and will test candidates who have come from the districts of Bandipora, Kupwara, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam.” 

As part of the selection process, the candidates need to undergo screening for physical fitness, medical examination and documentation. The spokesperson added, "Successful candidates will then undergo a written test on July 28 and August 25, 2019."

Once a candidate has passed the tests, he would be recruited into the various arms and services of the army, the spokesperson said.

He further said, “This recruitment rally and similar initiatives across the valley go a long way in meeting the aspirations of the youths of the hinterland and remote areas, who wish to join the Army, serve the nation and carve out a brighter future for themselves and their families.”