Sarabjit Singh, an alleged Indian spy, who was on death row in Pakistan for espionage charges,  succumbed to injuries he had sustained in April 26, 2013 attack by fellow prisoners in a jail in Lahore, Pakistan.

Islamabad/New Delhi, May 2/Nationalturk  -Sarabjit Singh, an Indian citizen charged with espionage by Pakistan and sentenced to death by a Pakistani court,  succumbed to injuries he had sustained on April 26, 2013 after being attacked by prisoners in a prison.

“Sarabjit Singh died in the early hours in Jinnah Hospital today,” Principal of Allama Iqbal Medical College, Dr Mahmood Shaukat said.

49-year-old Sarabjit was admitted in Jinnah hospital with severe brain injuries after he was hit on the head with bricks by a group of prisoners in Kot Lakhpat jail, Lahore on April 26.

According to Pakistan newspaper, The Dawn, the prisoners assaulted Sarabjit with bricks and other blunt weapons inside the jail and left him seriously injured.

A doctor, who was part of the team treating Sarabjit said he died of massive cardiac arrest. “The doctors made several unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate, but to no avail”.

“The condition of the patient was already critical because of low Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS),” he said.

Dr Shaukat said  Sarabjit’s body was shifted to the mortuary.

Reacting to Sarajit’s death, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked Pakistan to bring the criminals responsible for barbaric and murderous attack on Sarabjit Singh to justice.

In his message, the prime minister said Indian government would make the necessary arrangements to bring his body home for funeral rites, after earlier negotiations to treat the jailed spy in India or a third country failed.

“It was regrettable that the Pakistani government had not responded to of Indian government, Sarabjit’s family and civil society in India and Pakistan to take a humanitarian view of this case.  The Indian government will make the arrangements to bring his remains home and for his last rites to be conducted in consultation with his family,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan government has agreed to send back the body of Indian prisoner. Earlier, Pakistan had turned down India’s appeals to let Sarabjit be treated either in India or any other country.

Indian Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said a special plane will be sent to bring Singh’s body.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Sarabjit’s body will be handed over to India after early completion of formalities.

Sarabjit’s sister Dalbir Kaur accused Pakistan government of complicity in the fatal attack on the 49-year-old. “Pakistan stabbed India in the back,” she told reporters in Indian capital.

She said Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari killed his brother for elections in Pakistan.

“My brave brother has become a martyr. Pakistan had hidden the facts of his attack and health,” she said and urged Indian political parties to unite for a strong collective response to Pakistan.

She alleged that Pakistan’s human rights activist Ansar Burney had asked for a huge amount to get Sarabjit back to India. “Had I paid Rs 25 crore to Ansar Burney, Sarabjit would have returned to India,” Dalbir added.

The Sarabjit Singh’s death rocked Indian Parliament with MPs raising slogans against Pakistan and entering the well of the House. A resolution condoling Sarabjit’s death is likely to be brought in the lower house Lok Sabha, which was adjourned following the uproar.

Pakistan police charges two suspects

Pakistani security officials said today that police has charged two suspects Amir Tanba and Mudasir  with the murder of Sarabjit.

“We have added a murder clause to the police complaint,” they said.

The two suspects were taken into custody immediately after last week’s attack.

The officials said the motive of attack on Sarabjit was unclear. “An initial investigation pointed to an exchange of hot words with Singh,” they said.

‘Sarabjit crossed into Pakistan in 1990’

According to Pakistan government, Sarabjit Singh had illegally crossed into Pakistan on Aug 29, 1990. He was arrested on charges of carrying out four bombings in Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore which killed 14 Pakistani citizens and later sentenced to death.

Singh’s mercy petitions were rejected by courts and former President Parvez Musharraf.

The outgoing Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP)-led government put off Singh’s execution for an indefinite period in 2008.

Sarabjit’s family insisted he was a victim of mistaken identity and had inadvertently strayed across the border while drunk.

 

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News

 

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