Jammu: A Pakistani prisoner in a central jail here was seriously injured today after being beaten by another inmate following an altercation, a day after Indian convict Sarabjit Singh died after a brutal attack by fellow inmates in a Lahore prison.
52-year-old Sanuallah, a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan, was immediately shifted from high-security Kot Balwal jail to Government Medical College hospital and later rushed to PGI Chandigarh in an air ambulance after doctors said his condition was critical.
Sanuallah, who suffered serious head injuries, is serving a life term after being convicted under TADA provisions following his arrest in 1999. The attack occurred ahead of funeral of Sarabjit, a death row convict in Pakistan, at his native village in Amritsar district in Punjab.
Two prison officials including jail superintendent Rajni Sehgal have been suspended by the Jammu and Kashmir government which ordered an enquiry by Divisional Commissioner (Jammu).
“We are looking into the matter and two persons including jail superintendent have been suspended,” Director General of Prison K Rajendra said.
The incident occurred around 8 AM when the jail inmates were out of their cells for their routine work.
According to a preliminary probe, Sanaullah along with other prisoners was working in the garden where he entered into an argument with Vinod Kumar, a fellow inmate serving a life term in another case.
Official sources said the argument turned violent and Kumar, an ex-serviceman hailing from Uttrakhand, hit Sanaullah with bricks and shovel on his head. A case has been registered against Kumar.
The police had also readied a Special Investigating Team(SIT) to probe the matter, if required.
An illiterate, Sanaullah, who used to eke out his living operating a horse cart(tonga), was also the mastermind behind the digging of a tunnel in Kot Balwal jail when the prison authorities had separated Pakistani prisoners from other inmates.
After the the plan was unearthed, the Pakistani convicts and other inmates were kept together to prevent any further plot to escape.
Following the death of 49-year-old Sarabjit in Pakistan, Union Home Ministry had issued advisories to all states for maintaining high vigil in jails and ensure there was no attack on any Pakistani prisoner lodged there.
Sarabjit died in a hospital in Lahore yesterday after being comatose for nearly a week following a brutal assault by fellow inmates in a high-security Lahore jail. The attack triggered an outrage in the India.
There are a total of 270 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.
J and K Minister of State for Home Sajjad Kitchloo told PTI that DGP (Prison) K Rajendra has been asked to immediately review the security of Pakistani prisoners in jails in the state and ensure their security.
