Pak national freed after 16 yrs, takes Bhagavad Gita home

A Pakistani national, Jalaluddin, who was released from Varanasi Central Jail on Sunday after 16 years, took home Bhagavad Gita with him.

Jalaluddin was arrested from Varanasi's Cantonment area with suspicious documents and is now on his way back to his country.

Senior Superintendent of Varanasi Central Jail Ambrish Gaud told the media that in 2001, Jalaluddin hailed from Sindh province in Pakistan, and was arrested from the Cantonment area. He was nabbed near the Air Force office by the police with some suspicious documents.

The police had recovered maps of the Cantonment area and other important places from Jalaluddin. A court had then sentenced the Pakistani national to 16 years of imprisonment.

Gaud elucidated, "He was imprisoned under the Official Secrets Act and Foreigner's Act. He has been handed over to the local police. He has taken a copy of (Bhagavad) Gita with him."

"When he was arrested, he had only graduated from high school. He completed his intermediate and did his MA from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). He also undertook an electrician course as well in the jail. He had been an umpire in the jail cricket leagues for the last three years," he added.

A special team has taken Jalaluddin to Amritsar, where he will be handed over to concerned authorities at the Wagah-Attari border, following which he will return to Pakistan.