LAHORE: A 13-year-old fan of Indian actor Ajay Devgan who had crossed over the Indian border to meet the star but was jailed a year ago, returned to Lahore on Tuesday thanks to efforts of two women, one from Pakistan and the other from India.

Kashif Ali of a village in Depalpur had crossed the Husainiwala, Kasur, border nearly a year ago after escaping from a madressah (seminary) where his widow mother wanted him to study.

However, soon after crossing the border he was arrested by Indian authorities. He was kept in Faridkot’s Child Observation Centre since then.

To his sheer luck, Ajoka Theatre visited the town (Faridkot) to stage its famous play Bullah. Here Sessions Judge Ms Archana Puri met Ms Madiha Gohar of Ajoka Theatre and showed her concern for Kashif, requesting the latter to locate his whereabouts in Pakistan so as to ensure his return home.

Ms Gohar says she was moved by the concern shown by Ms Puri for the child. Later, Ms Gohar visited the centre and interviewed the child. Upon her return, she contacted the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Pakistan authorities, and released the recorded interview of Kashif to the local media.

Soon the boy’s whereabouts were located and the authorities on both sides of the border arranged for his repatriation.