The decomposed bodies of a young Pakistani couple were discovered last week in the desert region of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, about 15 kilometers from the India-Pakistan border. Authorities suspect the pair succumbed to extreme heat and dehydration after illegally crossing into India.
According to Jaisalmer police, the deceased were identified as 17-year-old Ravi Kumar and his 15-year-old wife, Shanti Bai. Identification documents and a phone with a Pakistani SIM card found near the bodies helped confirm their identities. The couple hailed from Ghotki district in Pakistan’s Sindh province.
Police Superintendent Sudhir Chaudhary said a man’s body was found under a tree wearing a blue kurta and trousers, while the woman’s body was located 50 feet away, dressed in a yellow traditional outfit. Both bodies were reportedly discovered face-down, and initial investigations suggest they had been dead for 8 to 10 days before being found.
The couple’s journey to India followed a domestic dispute. According to Latif Laghari, a journalist from their hometown, a quarrel over irrigating a rice crop led Ravi to leave his family home with his wife on a motorcycle. It was later revealed that the couple aimed to reunite with relatives living in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Family members said Ravi had previously applied for an Indian visa but was denied. Rajasthan-based activists working with Pakistani Hindu migrants mentioned that the couple likely crossed the border on foot. Extreme temperatures in the region, reaching up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), combined with a lack of water sources, are believed to have caused their deaths before they could reach a populated area. The couple’s last rites were performed in Jaisalmer with the help of local relatives.