SRINAGAR: A 43-year-old woman from Nagpur, Sunita Bholewshwar Jamgade, is suspected to have crossed to the other side of Kashmir from Hunderman village near the Line of Control in Ladakh, prompting heightened security measures and a multi-agency investigation.
Authorities in Kargil confirmed that a resident has been detained for allegedly helping Sunita reach the sensitive border area. Police are now trying to determine whether the man was unwittingly involved or knowingly aided her suspected attempt to cross the Line of Control (LoC). According to investigators, he not only dropped her near Hunderman but also allegedly provided her with some money.
Hunderman, a remote village perched along the LoC, has drawn multiple visits from senior Army and police officials since Sunita was reported missing on May 14. Search operations are underway, though officials say there is no official confirmation yet that she has indeed crossed the border.
Kargil senior superintendent of police Shree Ram has confirmed to reporters that a missing person’s complaint had been registered, adding, “We are investigating all leads. Punjab Police earlier found that she had been in contact with two phone numbers operating from the Gilgit-Baltistan region of PoK.”
Intelligence sources revealed that Sunita had previously attempted to cross into Pakistan via Attari in Amritsar. She was detained by a BSF jawan during that attempt and let off after interrogation. In that case, it had emerged that she was communicating via WhatsApp with two contacts saved on her phone as “Zulfiquar Dubani” and “O Pakistani Church Asif Masqun”. Both numbers were reportedly using SIM cards from China Mobile Pakistan Ltd (CMPak).
Sunita and her 15-year-old son had checked into Kargil’s Border View hotel on May 9 or 10. Police say the son has been rescued and is currently in the care of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Kargil. “The child is safe and will be handed over to guardians from Nagpur who are arriving soon,” said Kargil Additional Superintendent of Police Nitin Yadav.
Meanwhile, a missing person’s complaint has also been filed by Kapil Nagar police in Nagpur. Senior inspector Satish Ade confirmed that a team from Nagpur will soon travel to Kargil to assist in the investigation.
Sunita’s motivations remain unclear, but preliminary investigations suggest a history of contact with individuals across the border and a desire to meet a pastor in Pakistan. The intelligence community is now probing the religious and ideological dimensions of her suspected crossing.
In a statement, Nagpur’s CWC chairperson Chhaya Gurav said the child will be placed in a government-run shelter home upon return. “We are coordinating with authorities in Ladakh to ensure the child’s safety and emotional well-being,” she said.
Sunita, a former nurse at a Nagpur hospital, had reportedly shown signs of distress and disorientation in recent weeks. The full details behind her journey from central India to the sensitive LoC in Ladakh, and the nature of her contacts across the border, are still emerging.
