'Both Sarabjit and Kirpal were killed in Pakistan as part of a conspiracy'

The Kin of Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh, who dies in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail under mysterious circumstances, have said that he and Sarabjit Singh, another Indian national, were killed in Pakistan as part of a conspiracy.

Chandigarh: The family of Indian prisoner Kirpal Singh, who died in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail under mysterious circumstances, said on Wednesday that he and Sarabjit Singh, another Indian national, were killed in Pakistan as part of a conspiracy.

Kirpal Singh's mortal remains were handed over to India on Tuesday after a post-mortem was conducted in a hospital in Pakistan.

His family members alleged that his body bore injury marks and foul play led to his death, but doctors who conducted an autopsy denied this.

Contrary to the claims, the medical board which conducted the post-mortem examination here said there were no external or internal injury marks on the body.

Ashok Sharma, head of the three-member medical board, however, told the media after the post-mortem examination that the cause of death has not been established yet.

The doctor said some organs from his body were missing, as an autopsy has already been done (in Pakistan).

"In the post-mortem examination, it was found that there was no external or internal injury on the body. Post-mortem of this body has already been done (in Pakistan) because stitches were present on the body and the head.

"When we opened the body, we found that some of the organs were missing because when post-mortem is done, some organs are taken to test to find out whether there is any disease or not," Sharma said.

After being handed over to the Border Security Force at the Attari-Wagah joint check post, Kirpal's body was immediately taken for post-mortem examination in Amritsar after which it was taken to Gurdaspur district for cremation in his native village.

His family members alleged that he was murdered either by fellow prisoners or prison officials in Pakistan. Close relatives and residents from Kirpal Singh's village were present at Attari, 30 km from here, when the body was brought back to India.

The body, in a coffin, was carried by porters on the Indian side even as family members showered flowers on the coffin.

Close family members were allowed to see the body to identify Kirpal Singh's mortal remains.

Pakistani authorities have attributed his death to heart attack, but his family has alleged he was murdered in prison.