Sarabjit to be cremated with state honours; 2nd autopsy conducted
Sarabjit Singh's funeral at his village in Punjab today | NDTV.com
Bhikiwind, Punjab: Sarabjit Singh's body, draped in the Indian Tricolour, has reached his home in the Punjab village of Bhikiwind. Hundreds of people have gathered already and more are expected by afternoon when the last rites will be conducted for the Indian prisoner who died yesterday in a Pakistan hospital after being brutally attacked in jail.
The Punjab government has declared Sarabjit a martyr and he will be given a state funeral at 2 pm. The entire Akali-Dal-led Punjab cabinet is expected, as are politicians from other parties.
Markets and other businesses in Bhikiwind are closed and people from neighbouring villages are pouring in to pay their respect. All roads lead to the house of the man who, his family says, strayed across the border one night 22 years ago and returned in a coffin.
Mr Singh, a death row prisoner accused of terrorism in Pakistan, died early on Thursday morning in a Lahore hospital. He was brought there comatose on Friday last, after six other prisoners attacked him in jail, using bricks to inflict mortal injuries on him. (Murder charges against 2 who attacked Sarabjit)
His body was flown to Amritsar last night, after a two-hour delay at the Lahore airport. An autopsy was done at the Patti district hospital near Amritsar last night and then Sarabjit's body was handed over to his family. It was flown by helicopter to Bhikiwind at 8:30 last night. (As Sarabjit's body arrived in Amritsar, disgraceful politics on display)
India has reacted furiously to Sarabjit's death; many mourned and across the country, candle light vigils were held. The government said his death was "extremely inhuman and barbaric". The Indian Parliament condoled his death in a resolution.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has demanded that, "the criminals responsible for the barbaric and murderous attack on Sarabjit Singh must be brought to justice," and also regretted that, "the government of Pakistan did not heed the pleas of the government of India, Sarabjit's family and of civil society in India and Pakistan to take a humanitarian view of this case."
Pakistan had rejected three appeals from India in the last week that Mr Singh be treated at home. The main opposition party has accused the government of not trying hard enough to secure Mr Singh's release while he was alive.
Sarabjit Singh was given the death sentence in 1991 for bombings a year earlier in Pakistan's Lahore and Faisalabad in which 14 people were killed. His family has said he was innocent.
Sarabjit Singh's funeral at his village in Punjab today | NDTV.com
Bhikiwind, Punjab: Sarabjit Singh's body, draped in the Indian Tricolour, has reached his home in the Punjab village of Bhikiwind. Hundreds of people have gathered already and more are expected by afternoon when the last rites will be conducted for the Indian prisoner who died yesterday in a Pakistan hospital after being brutally attacked in jail.
The Punjab government has declared Sarabjit a martyr and he will be given a state funeral at 2 pm. The entire Akali-Dal-led Punjab cabinet is expected, as are politicians from other parties.
Markets and other businesses in Bhikiwind are closed and people from neighbouring villages are pouring in to pay their respect. All roads lead to the house of the man who, his family says, strayed across the border one night 22 years ago and returned in a coffin.
Mr Singh, a death row prisoner accused of terrorism in Pakistan, died early on Thursday morning in a Lahore hospital. He was brought there comatose on Friday last, after six other prisoners attacked him in jail, using bricks to inflict mortal injuries on him. (Murder charges against 2 who attacked Sarabjit)
His body was flown to Amritsar last night, after a two-hour delay at the Lahore airport. An autopsy was done at the Patti district hospital near Amritsar last night and then Sarabjit's body was handed over to his family. It was flown by helicopter to Bhikiwind at 8:30 last night. (As Sarabjit's body arrived in Amritsar, disgraceful politics on display)
India has reacted furiously to Sarabjit's death; many mourned and across the country, candle light vigils were held. The government said his death was "extremely inhuman and barbaric". The Indian Parliament condoled his death in a resolution.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has demanded that, "the criminals responsible for the barbaric and murderous attack on Sarabjit Singh must be brought to justice," and also regretted that, "the government of Pakistan did not heed the pleas of the government of India, Sarabjit's family and of civil society in India and Pakistan to take a humanitarian view of this case."
Pakistan had rejected three appeals from India in the last week that Mr Singh be treated at home. The main opposition party has accused the government of not trying hard enough to secure Mr Singh's release while he was alive.
Sarabjit Singh was given the death sentence in 1991 for bombings a year earlier in Pakistan's Lahore and Faisalabad in which 14 people were killed. His family has said he was innocent.
