Kirpal Singh, an Indian national imprisoned in Pakistan’s Kot Lakhpat jail, died on Monday under mysterious circumstances.
Back home, Sarabjit Singh’s sister Dalbir Kaur has alleged that Kirpal, who has been languishing in the Pakistan jail since 1992, has actually been murdered.
Dalbir, while speaking to media said, “Kirpal Singh ki hatya hui hai, maut nahi,” (Kirpal Singh has been murdered. His death isn’t normal). She also alleged that Kirpal met the same fate as that of Sarabjit, who was brutally attacked and murdered by his fellow inmates at Kot Lakhpat jail in April 2013.
Demanding a high level enquiry into the case, Dalbir urged the Indian government to set up a committee to find the truth into the matter.
“High level enquiry should be done. Indian government should form a committee and send it to Pakistan to investigate the case,” Dalbir said.
Kirpal Singh, 50, had allegedly crossed Wagah border into Pakistan in 1992 and was arrested. He was subsequently sentenced to death in a serial bomb blasts case in Punjab province.
“Kirpal Singh was found dead at his cell in early hours of Monday at Kot Lakhpat Jail,” an official said.
He said the body of Kirpal has been shifted to the Jinah Hospital Lahore for autopsy. A judicial magistrate was also called who recorded the statements of some prisoners about the death of Kirpal, the official said.
To a question about the death of Kirpal by torture, he said: “The inmates of the jail near to Kirpal stated that he complained about pain in his chest and died instantly.”
Jail police station head Nafees Ahmed said the authorities had called police to shift the body to the dead house.
“Apparently, it seems the Indian prisoner died of natural death. However, autopsy will tell the exact cause of death,” he said. Kirpal Sinhg, who hails from Gurdaspur district in Punjab, has reportedly been acquitted of bomb blast charges by the Lahore high court but his death sentence could not be commuted because of unknown reasons.
Jagir Kaur, Kirpal’s sister, had earlier said that the family couldn’t raise voice for his release due to financial constraints and no politician came forward to plead his case.
