Michigan India Community Blog

A Community Resource for Indians in Michigan

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Home at last after 35 years

Kashmir Singh a former Indian Policeman from Punjab and later a trader in Electronic Goods was arrested in the city of Rawalpindi in 1973. The Government of Pakistan convicted Mr. Singh of spying and was later sentenced him to death.

Now Mr. Kashmir Singh has been released by the Pakistani Authorities after 35 years. Yesterday Mr. Kashmir Singh crossed into India via the Wagah Border.

How did Mr Singh's release come about? Quoting BBC:
His release was spearheaded by Ansar Burney, a social worker and cabinet minister who tracks people lost in Pakistan's jail system.

Ansar Burney discovered Mr Singh on a recent trip to a jail in Lahore and persuaded Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to revoke his death sentence and order his release.

Mr Burney said last week that Mr Singh had been held in a condemned prisoner's cell for most of the time since his conviction and had become mentally ill.

He said that he was first informed about the case several years ago by members of the Indian community in London.

But he was unable to locate Mr Singh, despite visiting more than 20 jails across the country in connection with his campaign for prison reforms and prisoners' rights.

The minister said Mr Singh had not received a single visitor or seen the open sky and, like other condemned prisoners, was locked in an overcrowded cell for more than 23 hours a day, in conditions which the minister described as "hell on Earth".

Labels: , ,

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Hindu Gods directed to appear before court in Jharkand, India

Talk about bizarre! A judge by the name of Sunil Kumar Singh in the eastern state of Jharkand, India has placed advertisement in newspapers asking the gods (Ram and Hanuman) to "appear before the court personally". This to resolve a dispute which is now now 20 years old and revolves around the ownership of a 1.4 acre plot of land housing two temples.

Quoting BBC (the text of the advertisement which was addressed to the Hindu Gods!)
"You failed to appear in court despite notices sent by a peon and later through registered post. You are herby directed to appear before the court personally"
Curious as to know where the judge and the lawyers in this case got their Law degree/education.

Labels: , ,