Sarabjit Singh dies at Jinnah Hospital

Lahore: Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner on death row in Pakistan, has died at a hospital in Lahore where he was admitted after being brutally attacked by a group of prisoners at the Kot Lakhpat Jail last week.

The Indian High Commission told NDTV that they were informed by the Medical Superintendent of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore that Sarabjit died at 12:15 am (IST). His body is being shifted to the mortuary and a post mortem will be conducted soon. Arrangements are also underway to send Sarabjit's body to India.

The 49-year-old had been in coma in the Intensive Care Unit of the state-run Jinnah Hospital since Friday evening.

On Friday evening, Sarabjit was reportedly attacked by six other prisoners with bricks and a blade, news agency Press Trust of India said. Two of his alleged attackers have been booked for attempt to murder. One of them had reportedly had a scuffle with him a few days ago.

The Indian government had urged Pakistan to allow Sarabjit to be moved to India for better treatment. His family - his wife, sister and two daughters - had gone to Lahore on Sunday after Pakistan granted them emergency visas.

Sarabjit had been on death row in Pakistan since 1991. In 1990, he was convicted by Pakistani courts for bomb blasts in Lahore and Multan, in which 14 people died. His family claims he had inadvertently crossed into Pakistan in a drunk state and was arrested there.

His sister Dalbir Kaur, who had campaigned hard to get Sarabjit freed, had said earlier that there was a threat to his life and that she had informed the government about it.