A woman who crossed the Working Boundary on Thursday night was shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel near Sialkot, police sources said.

Rasheeda Bibi, 53, hailing from Sialkot district's Diawara village, crossed the border after losing her way.

According to police sources, the woman was mentally ill.

A protest erupted in Bibi's native village after it emerged that she had been shot dead by BSF personnel.

Indian border authorities later handed over her body to her family in the presence of Pakistan Rangers officials.

Similar incidents have occurred in the past as well in light of heightened border tensions between India and Pakistan.

Last year in August, a Pakistani boy was shot dead after entering Indian territory by mistake. Seventeen-year-old Ijaz, from Kasur sector, was grazing cattle near the border when the incident had taken place.