This Article is From Aug 31, 2014

Fisherman's Wife Raises Question Over Husband's Death in a Pakistani Jail

Vadodara, Gujarat: The wife of an Indian fisherman, who died in a Pakistan jail last month, has raised question over delay in informing Indian authorities about the death.

Samjuben, wife of deceased fisherman Bala Naran Singad from Gujarat's Gir Somnath district who died in a Karachi jail on July 25, said she wanted to know as to why it took over a month for Pakistani authorities to inform India about the death.

She told PTI that it was only through the letter of her brother-in-law (two brothers of Singad are also lodged in the same Karachi jail) that she came to know that her husband has died on July 25 and later from the state government.

"I am unlettered and hence, I took the letter to someone else to read it out to me. I came to know he is dead from the letter. Why did it take so much time for them (jail authority) to inform us," she asked.

Meanwhile, President of Gujarat Fishermen Association Veljibhai Masani criticised the Pakistani authorities for the delay in giving information.

He alleged that the Pakistan authorities did not allow an Indian delegate, who had gone to Karachi on a three-day visit on July 18, to meet Indian fishermen jailed there.

"If they had allowed us to meet (jailed Indian fishermen), we could have come to know about Singad, if he was unwell. We are in constant touch with Singad's family and we will write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter," he said.

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