Body of Indian man who died in Pakistan jail handed over

LAHORE: The body of a 50-year-old Indian national, who died at a Pakistani jail under mysterious circumstances last week after languishing in the prison for nearly 25 years on spying charges, was handed over to Indian authorities today after a post-mortem.

Kirpal Singh 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 Pakistan's Punjab province.

Kirpal was found dead in his cell last Monday at Kot Lakhpat Jail here.

Post-mortem on the body has been done. The mortal remains have been handed over to Indian authorities and Dr Piyush Singh, the First Secretary in the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, will escort the body, a source said.

Kirpal from Gurdaspur had reportedly been acquitted of the bomb blast charges by the Lahore High Court but his death sentence could not be commuted because of unknown reasons.