A group of youths from Haryana has embarked on a march from Bhiwani to New Delhi to garner support for the release of Sarabjit Singh, who is facing death penalty in Pakistan on charges of carrying out blasts in Lahore.
The march organised by Haryana-based Jan Adhikar Kartavya Samiti on Wednesday reached Chandigarh and will go to Bhikiwind, the village of Sarabjit, in Amritsar district on Thursday to meet his family members.
Addressing the march, state Irrigation Minister Ajay Singh Yadav said Sarabjit's case was a clear cut case of mistaken identity and hoped the Pakistan government would take a "lenient view and set him free".
"The whole country is concerned about the plight of Sarabjit, whose family has already submitted a mercy appeal to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf," samiti president Kanwarbir Singh told reporters in Chandigarh.
He said they would be paying obeisance at the Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) at Amritsar and pray for Sarabjit's release.
From Sarabjit's village, the march will proceed to Dabwali, covering a distance of 150 km on foot, he said.
The yatris will also go to Ajmer Sharief and offer prayers there on May 1.
Pakistan allege that Sarabjit, whom they identify as Manjit, was a Research & Wing agent who carried out blasts in Lahore in 1990. He was later arrested and the Pakistan Supreme Court sentenced him to death.