LAHORE, May 17: India on Wednesday returned six prisoners to Pakistan at the Wagah border as part of move to boost peace process. The prisoners included four boys aged 12 to 14, who had strayed across the border, and two men, who, too, were arrested on charges of illegal border crossing. They remained in prisons for over 14 years for questioning on spying charges, officials said.

“I was caught in Kashmir after I had mistakenly crossed into the Indian side of the border,” Mohammad Raof, 50, a resident of Azad Kashmir told reporters. He added he remained in various Indian jails for 15 years. “Our interrogators had been quizzing us on spying charges.”

Two cousins — Imran Masih, 14, and Methan Masih, 13, of Faisalabad said that they had strayed across the border when caught some nine months ago by Indian border force. The other two boys also spent nine months in jails. “I am very glad. I cannot explain what I am feeling after returning to my homeland,” Imran said.

The prisoners were later driven to an interrogation facility where they would be questioned by law-enforcement agencies about their stay in Indian prisons before being reunited to their families.