Pakistan inmate's attacker remanded to 7-day police custody

JAMMU: Vinod Kumar, who had allegedly attacked and critically injured a Pakistani prisoner in Kot Balwal jail here, was remanded to seven days police custody.

The Forest Court has remanded prisoner Vinod Kumar to seven days police custody in connection with the attack on the Pakistani prisoner after the police sought Kumar's custody for further investigation into the case, a police officer told PTI.

52-year-old Sanaullah Ranjay, the Pakistani prisoner, was attacked and seriously injured yesterday, allegedly by Kumar after an altercation.

As he is already undergoing life imprisonment in jail, Vinod's police custody was necessary for investigation into the case, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rajesh Kumar said.

Probe in the case has started and senior police officers were at the crime scene today as well, the IGP said.

"All necessary evidence has been collected. The weapon of offence...a brick...has been recovered," he said adding that Vinod has been booked for the attack.

The evidence is being put together and charge sheet will be prepared soon, he said.

According to preliminary investigation, Sanaullah was working in the jail garden when he entered into an argument with Vinod, a former Army jawan serving life term for fratricide. He allegedly hit the Pakistani prisoner on the head with a brick.

Sanaullah, a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan, was immediately shifted from the high-security prison to Government Medical College hospital in Jammu and later rushed to PGI Chandigarh in an air ambulance for further treatment.

The incident comes close on the heels of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh's death due to a murderous attack on him in a Lahore jail.