Indian techie from Andhra Pradesh arrested in Pakistan missing for two years; wanted to meet girlfriend in Switzerland

One of the two Indian nationals who were arrested by Pakistani authorities on Monday for allegedly entering the country illegally, was working for a software company in Hyderabad and was reported missing since 29 April, 2017. Prashant Vaindam, whose family hails from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, allegedly entered Cholistan Desert in Pakistan through Rajasthan without any valid documents, News18 reported. Another person arrested was identified as Vari Lal, who hailed from Madhya Pradesh. According to Pakistani media, both were apprehended in the eastern city of Pakistan’s Bahawalpur district on 14 November. [caption id=“attachment_5179171” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. IBN[/caption] As per Geo News, a case was registered against them after reportedly failing to produce documentation pertaining to their legal entry into Pakistan An investigation by Telangana Police revealed that the techie from Andhra Pradesh wanted to go to Switzerland to meet his girlfriend he befriended online, but surfaced in Pakistan, before going missing for two years. Police are yet to ascertain how he landed in the neighbouring country. After reports of Prashant’s arrest by Yazman police of Pakistan emerged, the state police tried to trace his parents and came to know about their whereabouts in Bhagat Singh Nagar in Kukatpally, Deccan Chronicle reported. Sources in Telangana Police said Prashant went missing since April, 2017. In a video message for his parents that went viral on social media on Monday, Prashant speaking to Telugu, informed about his arrest in Pakistan. He could be heard trying to assure his parents that after following formalities, he would be released in a month. “Mummy and daddy, how are you? Now they brought me to court from police station after it was declared that there was no problem. They will now send me to jail from court and inform the Indian Embassy. I can then contact you,” said Prashant spoke in Telugu in the video. “Now then I am being sent to jail, the bail process will start. India and Pakistan exchange prisoners and it takes time,” he added. However, the Pakistani media claimed that Prashant was sent to the country to carry out a “sophisticated terror attack”. Earlier in August, police in Pakistan’s Punjab province claimed to have arrested an “Indian spy” in the town of Dera Ghazi Khan and handed over him to a premier intelligence agency. The “Indian spy”, identified as Raju Lakshman, was arrested while entering the town from Balochistan province, the same province where Pakistan claimed it arrested Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav. Jadhav, 49, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of “espionage and terrorism” in April, 2017, following which India had moved the International Court of Justice (ICJ), seeking a stay on his death sentence and further remedies. With inputs from PTI