ALIGARH, UTTAR PRADESH: In a bizarre twist resembling a Bollywood romance, a 20-year-old man from Nagla Khitkari village in Aligarh was arrested in Pakistan after crossing the international border to meet a Facebook friend he hoped to marry.
Badal Babu traveled from India to Pakistan in December 2024, inspired by stories of love that defy borders. However, his journey ended in a prison cell, far from the fairy tale he had envisioned.
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Sana Rani denies marriage plans with Badal Babu
Badal, who worked in a garment factory in Delhi, had kept in touch with his Facebook friend, Sana Rani, for over two years.
The two had been chatting online, and Badal had developed feelings for her, hoping to turn their virtual bond into a real-life romance.
Unaware of his plans, Badal’s family learned of his arrest through social media. The Pakistan Police detained him in Mandi Bahauddin, a district in Punjab province, on December 28, for illegally entering the country.
The police confirmed that Badal had reached Maung village, where they apprehended him shortly after he crossed the border.
In a statement, Sana Rani clarified that while she and Badal had been Facebook friends for years, she had no intention of marrying him.
She expressed that she was unaware of Badal’s plan to travel to Pakistan and denied any romantic interest in him.
Family sources revealed that Badal frequently used Facebook, where he reportedly connected with a girl from Pakistan.
Badal Babu’s family appeals to PM Modi for son’s return
In August, shortly after Raksha Bandhan, he informed his parents that he was leaving for Delhi to find work.
However, the family later discovered that he had crossed the international border near Jammu, though the specifics of his journey remain unverified, News 18 reports.
Badal’s arrest has caused emotional distress for his family, who have now made a heartfelt appeal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for help in bringing their son back home.
Gayatri Devi, Badal’s mother, described her son as a hardworking young man who had moved to Delhi just a year ago to support the family financially.
“It was only last year that he decided to move to Delhi to earn money and support his father in managing the family’s financial burdens,” she said.
“He had made a video call to us from his friend’s mobile phone, explaining that he didn’t have a smartphone at the time. He assured us he would share his personal number as soon as he bought one for himself,” she added recalling her conversation on video call in last August.
Badal’s father, Kripal Singh, also expressed his distress over his son’s arrest and appealed for government intervention.
“Sir we don’t know anyone except you (PM Modi and UP CM Yogi). Please bring our son back, we don’t want our son to spend his entire life in Pakistan jail,” said the father.
Authorities pledge support to secure Badal Babu’s release
Local authorities have echoed the family’s plea. Aligarh Superintendent of Police (Rural), Amrit Jain, confirmed that the police had received a complaint from Badal’s family and assured them that they would take the matter up with the Ministry of External Affairs.
“We will approach the proper channels to provide whatever assistance is necessary and work towards establishing contact with Badal. Our primary goal is to secure his release from custody in Pakistan,” Jain stated.
Not the first case of cross-border love
This case is not the first of its kind, as cross-border love stories have made headlines in recent years.
In 2023, a woman from Rajasthan traveled to Pakistan to marry her Facebook friend, while another Pakistani woman crossed into India to be with her lover.
These stories highlight the complex and often dangerous consequences of love across borders.
