MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 30: Indian troops on Monday released two AJK citizens whom they had taken across the Line of Control more than two weeks ago, officials here confirmed.

Mohammad Waqar, 13, a student of ninth grade, and his cousin Abdur Rauf, 25, a farmer, were freed and sent back by the Indian army to their home in Ghaipura village of Leepa Valley at about 6:30 am, an army official told Dawn.

Initial reports had suggested that the two had strayed across the LoC but later it turned out that they had been arrested by Indian troops several yards inside the AJK territory while they were herding cattle.

According to Raja Mohammad Akbar, head of the detainees’ family, the Indian troops had ambushed from behind a water channel close to their Vanjal-II post, and whisked the two youths across the LoC while five other boys who were behind them fled and escaped arrest.

Immediately after the incident, the Pakistan army had proposed a flag meeting with the Indians to pave way for early release of the detainees but did not receive a positive response from them.

The traumatised family of the detainees was planning to stage a sit-in in Islamabad to draw attention of the international community towards this issue when the Indian troops freed their kin.

It, however, could not be ascertained whether the detainees had been subjected to physical or mental tortured during their 15-day confinement.