India 'regrets' attack on Pak prisoner in Jammu jail

Terming as "regrettable" the incident in which a Pakistani prisoner was injured in a Jammu jail during an altercation with another inmate, India on Friday said the matter was being investigated and the guilty will be punished.The Ministry of External Affairs also said the injured was receiving the medical treatment and once the medical arrangements were in place, consular access will be provided.

"We are aware of the regrettable incident involving a Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay who was injured today during an altercation with another inmate of the jail in Jammu.

"The matter is being investigated and the guilty will be punished. Safety and security of prisoners in custody lies with the jail authorities and the necessary action is being taken.

"We are in touch with the Pakistan High Commission on the matter. The injured is receiving the medical treatment and once the medical arrangements are in place, the consular access will be provided," the spokesperson in the ministry said.

He also said in view of these tragic incidents, which included killing of two Indian prisoners in a Pakistani jail and that involving a Pakistani prisoner in a jail in Jammu, there is a need to take stock of the current measures in place to ensure safety, security and humane treatment of Indian and Pakistani prisoners in each other's jails.

"For this, we are proposing a meeting of the concerned authorities of both countries to study the recommendations and identify and put in place further measures to avoid such tragic incidents in future," he said.

He also noted that India had recently requested the joint judicial committee to visit jails in Pakistan.

This was committee's sixth meeting and they have made some recommendations.

There are nearly 535 Indian prisoners (including 483 fishermen) in Pakistani jails and a total of 270 Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails.