Labourers transfer the body of Indian prisoner Chamail Singh at the Wagah Border. PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE:
A two-month delay in the post-mortem of an Indian Sikh inmate, allegedly tortured to death at Lahore’s central jail, has attracted suspicion of a cover-up.
Prisoner Chamail Singh was allegedly beaten to death on January 15 by three jailors for washing clothes in the prison courtyard.
Two Indian embassy officials received the body from Pakistani authorities at the Wagah border on Wednesday.
According to a Jinnah Hospital official, Singh’s body had been lying in their mortuary without a request for a post-mortem examination since January 15.
By delaying Singh’s post-mortem report, the Kot Lakhpat prison authorities had tried to hide marks of injuries on his body caused by the beating he was given, Advocate Awais Sheikh, who works as a counsel for Indian prisoners in Pakistan, told The Express Tribune.
The investigation officer on the case, Sub-Inspector Ashraf Khan, confirmed that the post-mortem was conducted on Wednesday. A district medico-legal board of four doctors at the Jinnah Hospital in Lahore will take a week to prepare their report.
Lawyer Sheikh said that never before had a body of any Indian prisoner faced such a delay in being sent home. He said this delay could mean possible mala fide intention on behalf of the jail authorities, Punjab home department and negligence of the interior ministry.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that an investigation by the Federal Investigation Agency and another intelligence agency had confirmed that Singh was tortured to death. They were of the view that the authorities were causing a delay to hide marks on his face and feet. Singh was tried by a military court in Sialkot under Section 59 of Pakistan Army Act 1951 for spying and was awarded five years in prison. He was 48 years old.
Earlier, his 20-year-old son Deepak Singh had appealed to the chief minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to help bring his father’s body back. He also said he had heard no official version of the death.
The three Kot Lakhpat officials who allegedly beat Singh were identified as havaldars Muhammad Sidique and Muhammad Nawaz and Assistant Superintendent Nasir Nawaz.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 14th, 2013.
COMMENTS (5)
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He hardly looks like a spy . He must have strayed into Pak territory by mistake. Poor pet had to pay with his life .
All three police barbarians must be arrested for murder
Shame on those involved in this cover up ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The heading and the contents say it all. Do we need any comments. None.
We seem to take pleasure in inflicting pain on each other