Indian fisherman dies in custody

21 Mar, 2008

An Indian fisherman died in a police hospital here on Thursday, prisons officials said, citing "medical reasons." Laxman Kanji, 40, had been shifted to the police hospital from a Karachi jail after he complained of pain in his stomach last week, they said.
"He remained under treatment for eight days in the hospital where doctors pronounced his death today," Sindh IG Prisons Yameen Khan told AFP. Kanji was arrested along with other Indian fisherman in February 2006 by the Maritime Security Agency for violating Pakistan's territorial waters.
"He was safe and sound until a week ago when he complained of pain in the stomach," Khan added. The doctors would perform an autopsy soon to verify the "exact reasons" for his death. The body would then be handed over to the Indian authorities, Khan said.
The Pak authorities have arrested 61 Indian fishermen during the past three weeks on the charges of fishing in Pakistani waters. According to prison officials, around 320 Indian fishermen are in custody, and authorities here estimate more than 100 Pakistani fishermen have been languishing in Indian jails.

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