'Indian died of tuberculosis in Pak jail'

An Indian national imprisoned in a jail in Lahore has died of tuberculosis, Pakistan authorities said on Thursday, after leading human rights activist Ansar Burney claimed that the death had occurred in 'suspicious' circumstances.

Mushtaq Awan, the Superintendent of Kot Lakhpat jail, said Indian national Suraj Singh was mentally deranged and had died on Wednesday of tuberculosis. Singh, a resident of Jaipur, was arrested a year ago, when he illegally entered Pakistan through the Wagah sector of the border. Singh was being treated on a regular basis at the Services Hospital in Lahore.

"Singh was taken to the Services Hospital when his condition started deteriorating on Wednesday night, but he could not survive," said Awan. An autopsy of Singh's body had confirmed that the cause of his death was tuberculosis, he said.

The body was sent to a morgue after the autopsy and would remain there till the Indian government gave the green single for it to be repatriated, he added. Earlier, human rights activist Burney said that Singh had died in 'suspicious' circumstances. He demanded that authorities conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the death.

Officials of the Indian High Commission said Singh was listed among the Indian prisoners currently being held in Pakistani prisons. They said details about Singh's death had been sought from the Foreign Office.