Bring back Sepoy Chavan Safe: Who is Chandu Babulal Chavan, everything you need to know about the Indian soldier

As the nation prays for the safe return of the Indian soldier captured by Pakistani army on Thursday let us have a look at the sequence of events that led to the capture of Indian Army soldier Chandu Babulal Chavan of 37 Rashtriya Rifles.

Capture: On Thursday reports emegered in Pakistani media that an Indian soldier has been captured by their army while trying to inflitrate their borders, along with 15 others soldier, some of which were killed, Pak media claimed.

Indian Army swiftly denied the news of any encounter between Indian and Pak soldiers and revealed that one soldier was captured by Pak soldiers deployed across the LoC after he crossed the border inadvertently.

Efforts for release: Indian Army said that such incidences of inadvertent crossing by Army and civilians are not unusual on either side, and their is an established mechanisms to ensure safe return.

However, Chavan's return through existing mechanisms can prove to be highly difficult in the aftermath of India's surgical strike in Pakistan which killed at least 38 terrorists on Friday. 

Neverthless, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has ensured that India is making all attempts to secure the release of Sepoy Chandu Babulal Chavan. “All attempts are being made to secure his release,” he told reporters on Friday.

Mounting loss: Chavan's grandmother, who had brought him and his borther up after they loss their parents at a young age, passed away on Friday after hearing the news. Chavan's brother Bhushan Babulal Chavan, who is also in Indian Army, said that he had spoken to his brother on Wednesday and all was well. 

The Home Minister spoke to the family after the demise of Chavan's grandmother and assured them that all attempts were being made to secure his release. he had earlier revealed that New Delhi has decided to take up the matter with Islamabad for his early release.

 

Let us have a look at some little known facts about Chavan's life:

1. Chandu Babulal Chavan 22-year-old and is a Sepoy with the 37 Rashtriya Rifles.

2. Chavan was captured by the Pakistani army near Jhandroot, west of Mankote on Thursday after he crossed the border inadvertently.

3. Reports say Chavan was kept at the Pak military headquarters in Nikayal but has been shifted since. 

4. Indian Army has confirmed that Chavan was not a part of the teams that participated in the surgical strike against Pakistan and hence his arrest is unrelated.

5. Chavan was caught after the Pakistani troops fired across the LoC.

6. Chavan's brother Bhushan Babulal Chavan is also in Indian Aremy and is posted with the 9th Maratha Light Infantry in Gujarat.

7. Their grandmother Lila Chindha Patil died on Friday after hearing the news of his capture by the Pak forces. She had brought up Chavan and his brother after their parents died while they were young.