Gujarat fisherman died in Pak jail in March; family learns of it on June 10

More than three months after a Gujarat fisherman jailed in Pakistan died, his family has now come to know about the demise as a letter written by one of the deceased's cellmates reached his wife.

Deva Rama Baraiya (55), a fisherman from Kotada village in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district, was arrested from the high seas by the Pakistani maritime patrolling agencies and put in a Karachi jail on February 2, his family members said.

Pravin Dhansukh Chavda, a cellmate of Baraiya, had written a letter on April 22 informing about the fisherman's death in the prison on March 4, Kotada village sarpanch Babubhai Somabhai had said on Sunday.

Baraiya's wife Kasturiben received the letter yesterday, he said.

Chavda is the son-in-law of Baraiya's brother and his family too lives in Kotada village, the sarpanch said.

PTI is in possession of a copy of the letter written by Chavda in Gujarati.

"Baraiya is survived by wife, who works as a maid, and six children. The family is poor and has been distraught since getting the news of Baraiya's death," the village head said.

Gujarat Fishermen Central Cooperative Association Limited president Veljibhai Masani confirmed Baraiya's death and requested External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to raise the matter with the Pakistani authorities.

He criticised the neighbouring country's authorities for not informing their Indian counterparts about the fisherman's death in their captivity.

The Gujarat Fishermen Central Cooperative Association Limited is an apex body of fishermen cooperatives, with the Gujarat government being its majority shareholder.