India has sought information on the cause of death of Indian national Kirpal Singh who died in Pakistani jail under mysterious circumstances two days back. While Pakistan has claimed that 54-year-old Singh died of heart attack, India sought his medical papers and post mortem reports after news of his death under mysterious circumstances. Singh had died on Monday morning. India is making efforts to bring back the dead body of Kirpal Singh
India’s Acting High Commissioner JP Singh met Director General (South Asia) in Pakistan Foreign Ministry in Islamabad following a directive from the Indian Government in connection with death of Singh. Pak informed India that Singh was transferred to Jinnah Hospital in lahore on Monday after his health deteriorated in the early hours of Monday.
“According to government of Pakistan, Shri Kirpal Singh died on April 11 at 1455 hours due to heart attack. We await further details,” Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry Vikas Swarup said. He said India’s Acting High Commissioner has also requested the Pakistan Foreign Ministry official for earliest possible repatriation of mortal remains of Singh.
“On Kirpal Singh, our Acting High Commissioner in Islamabad has been instructed to seek a meeting at the highest possible level in Pakistan Foreign Office to seek early transportation of Singh’s mortal remains,” Swarup said.
Gurdaspur resident Kirpal Singh was arrested by Pak after he had allegedly crossed over to Pakistan through Wagah border in 1992. He was languishing in Pak’s Kot lakhpat Jail for nearly 25 years under allegations of carrying out bomb blasts in Faisalabad Railway Station in 1991. He was sentenced to death for spying and terrorism in Pak but later acquitted of charges by the lahore High Court but his death sentence could not be commuted due to unknown reasons.
Singh’s sister Jagir Kaur said the family could not raise voice for his release due to financial constraints and no politician came forward to plead his case. Singh’s relatives also staged a protest at the Indo-Pakistan Attari border and raised anti-Pakistan slogans near the Integrated Check Post (ICP). Among the protesters was Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarbajit Singh, the Indian death row prisoner who was killed in an attack by fellow prisoners at Kot lakhpat jail in lahore. Kirpal Singh’s family alleged that he was killed because he possibly knew the story behind death of Sarabjit Singh.