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Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday welcomed the release of BSF constable Purnam Kumar Shaw from Pakistan’s custody, and said she was constantly in touch with his family while efforts were underway to secure the jawan's return.

The constable, who hails from Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, was handed over to the BSF by Pakistan Rangers at 10:30 am via the Attari-Wagah border front in Punjab. Shaw was apprehended by the Rangers on April 23 from along the India-Pakistan International Border in Ferozepur district, a day after the Pahalgam terror attack.

"I am happy to receive the information that our Purnam Kumar Shaw, the BSF jawan, has been released. I had all along been in touch with his family and spoke thrice with his wife here at Rishra, Hooghly. Today also I called her," Banerjee said in a post on X.

"All the very best wishes for my brother-like jawan, his entire family including his wife Rajni Shaw," she added.

Earlier in the day, the ruling Trinamool Congress had said that the CM personally reached out to the jawan’s wife several times over the past few weeks, assuring the family of support and assistance.

Banerjee’s statement came amid celebrations at Shaw’s residence, where relatives, neighbours and well-wishers gathered with sweets to mark his safe return. 

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)