Pakistan launched on Saturday a judicial inquiry into the death of Indian national Chamel Singh, who was serving a five-year jail term for spying, following allegations that he died after being beaten by the prison staff. Refuting reports that Singh was beaten up, Kot Lakhpat Jail Additional Superintendent Ishtiaq Ahmed said the Indian prisoner had developed pains in his chest while having breakfast on January 15 and was taken to a state-run hospital. “We shifted him to Jinnah Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. The apparent cause of death was cardiac arrest according to the doctors,” Ahmed was quoted as saying by PTI. Following allegations and media reports that Singh was assaulted by prison staff, authorities launched a judicial inquiry into his death. Judicial magistrate Afzal Abbas recorded the statements of 14 Indian prisoners who were in the same barracks as Singh. “All the 14 Indian prisoners have recorded their statements. There is no question of torture either by the staff or other prisoners,” Mr Ahmed said. Other officials said the judicial magistrate was awaiting autopsy findings to finalise his report on Singh’s death. Syed Mudassar Hussain, an Associate Professor in the Forensic Department of Jinnah Hospital, said the autopsy of Singh’s body was yet to be done. “The cause of death can be ascertained only after the autopsy, which will be carried out shortly,” Mr Hussain said. Singh was serving a five-year prison term for alleged involvement in espionage. The records of Kot Lakhpat Jail state that Singh was arrested near the border at Sialkot in 2010. He was brought to Kot Lakhpat Jail in June last year. “The body will be handed over to Indian authorities once legal requirements are met,” Additional Superintendent Ahmed said. A total of 33 Indian prisoners were currently being held in Kot Lakhpat Jail and officials said they were all safe. Singh hailed from Jammu and Kashmir and was believed to have been in his sixties, Indian officials said. Initial media reports claimed that Singh was aged about 40.
