Four Ferozepur men, who were repatriated from Pakistan, said they were severely tortured and kept blindfolded for nearly a month after they inadvertently crossed over into Pakistan. They reached their houses on Sunday evening.The four were among the six Indian nationals who were arrested by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations over two years ago. The ISPR had alleged that they had been arrested on the charges of smuggling weapons, narcotics and ammunition. The four men from Ferozepur had landed in Pakistan after being swept away by strong currents of the Sutlej during the August 2023 floods.Of the four, Joginder Singh, Gurmej Singh, Chhinder Singh are from Kilche village, while the fourth one, Vishaljeet Singh, hails from Ali Ke village.Joginder Singh (48) said during the floods, his tractor had got stuck in waterlogged fields near the Sutlej. He tried to retrieve it with the help of Gurmail and Chhinder, but they were swept away by the Sutlej and later apprehended by the Pakistan Rangers. The Sutlej zigzags along the Indo-Pakistan border in the area.Joginder Singh with his wife at Kilche village in Ferozepur.“During the initial days, we were severely tortured and kept blindfolded for nearly a month before being produced in a court. Later, we were lodged at a high-security jail in Lahore and sentenced to one year of imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 10,000,” said Joginder, adding that their failure to pay the fine resulted in an additional month in jail. He said even after completing their sentence of around 13 months, they were not released.Gurmail Singh (45) said the jail term took a heavy toll on his family. “My 82-year-old mother lost her eyesight, while my 18-year-old son had to discontinue studies,” Gurmail said.He said they were allowed to speak to their families once a week and were confined to small cells, where they encountered several other Indian prisoners who had been lodged there for years.Chhinder Singh (45), overwhelmed by faith and gratitude after his release, has begun visiting gurdwaras and shrines. His wife Rajvinder Kaur said she had made vows at multiple religious places for her husband’s return and would now fulfil them now. She said the prolonged wait had pushed her into depression, while their daughter had to abandon her studies.Vishaljeet Singh (21) said he had come to his aunt’s house for some days. “I want to erase the memories of the ordeal I went through,” said Vishal. He said his father Jagga Singh passed away 12 years ago and his mother Serina works as a house help. According to information, they were kept at the Joint Interrogation Centre in Amritsar, where agencies questioned them before sending them back to their villages.