India Wednesday raised the issue of Indian inmate Kirpal Singh’s mysterious death with Pakistan authorities, who said he died of a heart attack at a Lahore jail two days ago, even as the Indian govern
India Wednesday raised the issue of Indian inmate Kirpal Singh’s mysterious death with Pakistan authorities, who said he died of a heart attack at a Lahore jail two days ago, even as the Indian government sought a probe into the matter. India’s acting high commissioner J.P. Singh met the director-general (South Asia) in Pakistan's foreign ministry in Islamabad following a directive from the Indian government in connection with death of Kirpal, who was languishing for nearly 25 years in jail in connection with an alleged serial blasts case there.
Later, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj met Kirpal's family and conveyed that the government was making all efforts to get his mortal remains back as early as possible.
“According to the government of Pakistan, Kirpal Singh died on April 11 at 14.55 hours due to a heart attack. We await further details,” spokesperson in the external affairs ministry Vikas Swarup said.
“Comforting a family in grief. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets with relatives of Shri Kirpal Singh, who died in Pakistan,” Mr Swarup tweeted.
Ms Swaraj also informed the family that India will try to revive the Indo-Pak judicial committee dealing with the welfare and overall status of prisoners of India and Pakistan lodged in each other’s jails. The committee has not met for the last couple of years.
Jagir Kaur, Kirpal’s sister, earlier said the family could not raise voice for his release due to financial constraints and no politician came forward to plead his case.
Earlier, Mr Swarup had said India’s acting high commissioner was instructed to seek a meeting at the highest possible level in Pakistan foreign office for early transportation of Kirpal's mortal remains as also official information on the cause of the death and postmortem report.
Kirpal, 50, had been languishing in a Pakistani jail for nearly 25 years on spying charges. He had allegedly crossed over to Pakistan through the Wagah border in 1992 and was arrested. He was subsequently sentenced to death in a serial bomb blasts case in Pakistan's Punjab province. Kirpal, who hailed from Gurdaspur, was reportedly acquitted of charges related to bomb blasts by the Lahore high court, but his death sentence could not be commuted due to unknown reasons, according to news agency reports.
