Indian Youth Imprisoned in Pakistan After Crossing Border for Love
An Indian youth from Uttar Pradesh who illegally crossed the international border into Pakistan in 2024 to meet a female Facebook acquaintance has been imprisoned for over two years. Pakistani authorities arrested him in December 2024 before sentencing him to rigorous imprisonment and a financial penalty.
A 19-year-old Indian youth named Badal Babu, hailing from Nagla Khitkari village in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, has spent more than two years imprisoned after illegally crossing the border into Pakistan. The extraordinary cross-border incident originated from a social media connection made in 2022 when Badal, who was then 17 years old, connected on Facebook with a Pakistani girl named Sana Rani. Over the course of their online relationship, the digital romance eventually motivated the young Indian resident to undertake a perilous journey to meet her.
Driven by his affection for Sana Rani, Badal crossed the international border into Pakistan clandestinely during a single night in September 2024. His clandestine entry into the neighboring country led to a sequence of legal troubles when law enforcement authorities intercepted him. Following his apprehension, Pakistani authorities formally registered his arrest on December 27, 2024, at the Sadar Mandi Bahauddin Police Station located within the Punjab province of Pakistan.
The legal proceedings against the young Indian national advanced rapidly during the following year. On April 30, 2025, a local court in Pakistan delivered its verdict, sentencing Badal to one year of rigorous imprisonment alongside a fine amounting to 5,000 Pakistani rupees. Even though the mandated judicial sentence concluded, his detention has continued, drawing the attention of diplomatic channels and media outlets such as The Print.
As his prolonged incarceration extended past the two-year mark, official diplomatic mechanisms finally engaged with his case. On January 29, 2026, Indian government officials from New Delhi were granted formal consular access to Badal while he was being held inside a prison facility situated in Lahore, Pakistan. The case continues to involve various bureaucratic branches, including the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs, as his situation remains under observation.
