Govt Orders Inquiry, Suspends Jail superintendent
SRINAGAR: A day after Sarabjit Singh died in a Lahore hospital after being assaulted in the Jail, a Pakistani prisoner Sannaullah Haq who had been convicted for life by a Tada Court in 2009 was assaulted in Kot Balwal Jail Jammu on Friday morning.
The condition of the prisoner, who was flown to PGI Chandigarh, was stated to be critical.
The State government meanwhile has put Jail superintendent Rajni Sehgal and a constable Suman Kumar under suspension.
Additional Secretary Home, Dilshada Shaheen who is handling the case said that during wee hours Friday, an inmate from Jharkhand, Vinod Kumar attacked Pakistani prisoner Sannaullah Haq with an axe following an altercation. He received serious head injuries and was first rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu, where doctors said he had slipped into a coma, much like Sarabjit, who was attacked in a Lahore jail on April 26 and died Thursday.
The Pakistani was later flown to Chandigarh in an air ambulance and admitted to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Friday evening, hospital sources said.
Jammu Medical College Director, Manoj Chalotra said that Haq had severe head injury and could not be treated in Jammu hospital.
According to Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo Jail Superintendent and a constable has been put under suspension and a team headed by Principal Secretary Home, Suresh Kumar has been set up to investigate the matter.
He said the team comprises SP city Jammu Johar Singh and other officials of Home Department.
Shaheen informed that Haq is about 50 years old and hails from Gujranwala Pakistan. He was arrested on 29/4/1999 in militancy related incidents in Kashmir and was sentenced for life by Tada Court Jammu on 25/9/2009, she said.
Meanwhile, a case of assault was registered against Vinod Kumar, an ex-serviceman who is also serving a life term in Kot Balwal jail. Vinod Kumar had been sentenced for life on charges for killing his colleague in Ladakh six year ago.
Attack Regrettable: India
India Friday said the guilty would be punished and called the attack on Sanaullah “regrettable”.
The external affairs ministry also proposed a meeting of concerned authorities from both countries to identify measures to “avoid such tragic incidents”.
“We are aware of the regrettable incident involving a Pakistani prisoner, who was injured today during an altercation with another inmate of a jail in Jammu,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The matter is being investigated and the guilty will be punished.”
The ministry said an advisory had been issued to strengthen security for Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.
“Safety and security of prisoners in custody lies with the jail authorities and necessary action is being taken,” the statement added.
Send Back Injured Prisoner: Pak
Pakistan today demanded that its prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay who has been injured in an attack by a jail inmate in Jammu should be released and sent back to home country for treatment.
The Pakistan High Commission said Sanaullah should be released on humanitarian grounds and be allowed to be transported in an air ambulance.
Earlier, India said the incident of attack on the Pakistani prisoner in a jail in Jammu was being investigated and the guilty would be punished.
“In view of the tragic events that include the killing of two Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails and the incident involving a Pakistani prisoner in a jail in Jammu today there was a need to take stock of the current measures in place to ensure the safety, security and humane treatment of Indian and Pakistani prisoners in each others’ jails,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
The Pakistan High Commission has expressed concern over the incident and demanded consular access to the prisoner.
The attack comes just a day after the body of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who succumbed to his injuries sustained in an attack in a Lahore jail on Friday last, was brought back to India.
Mr Akbaruddin said an advisory had been issued to strengthen security for Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.
Safety and security of prisoners in custody lies with the jail authorities and necessary action was being taken, he said.
“We are in touch with the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi on the matter. The injured is receiving medical treatment and once the medical arrangements are in place consular access will be provided,” he said.
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