SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Following the death of an injured Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah on Thursday, Indian-controlled Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah offered an apology to his family.
"Although it's scant consolation I'd like to offer a sincere apology to the family of Sanaullah Haq and my sympathies for their loss," Abdullah tweeted. "While the inquiry will fix responsibility for any dereliction of duty the fact that this is happening at all is a matter of great regret."
Sanaullah on Thursday morning succumbed to his injuries in the intensive care unit of Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Hospital in Chandigarh city.
According to Manju Wadwalkar, the public relations officer of PGIMER hospital, Sanaullah died due to multiple organ failure at 7: 00 a.m. (local time).
Sanaullah 52, suffered multiple head injuries last week after being attacked by another inmate inside the Kot Balwal jail of Indian-controlled Kashmir. Following the attack he slipped into deep coma and was airlifted to PGIMER Chandigarh, a premier health institute in north India for treatment.
The attack on Sanaullah was seen as an apparent retaliation to the death of a convicted Indian spy Sarabjit Singh last Thursday. Singh was assaulted by a fellow prisoner inside a Lahore prison in Pakistan on April 26.
Sanaullah's body is likely to be flown to Pakistan.
Sanaullah was imprisoned in 1999 on charges of militancy in Indian-controlled Kashmir and subsequently sentenced for life in 2009.
Officials said the attacker identified as Vinod Kumar, a former Indian army trooper who was also serving a life term in the Kot Balwal jail, was remanded to police custody. Kumar hails from the Indian state of Uttrakhand.
The Indian-controlled Kashmir authorities have ordered an inquiry and suspended two prison officials including the jail superintendent.
Islamabad has urged New Delhi to repatriate its prisoners who have already completed their sentences.
"We also reiterate our call to the government of India to hold focused discussions on the conditions of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails and repatriate those who have already completed their sentences as per the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India," reads a statement issued by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Indian officials say there are 535 Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails and 272 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.
According to Syed Akbaruddin, the spokesman of India's Ministry of External Affairs, India was proposing a meeting of officials from both countries to "identify and put in place further measures to avoid such tragic incidents in future."
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