Security stepped up for Pakistani inmates in Tihar

Security has been stepped up Tihar Jail in the national capital, India's largest prison, to avoid any attacks on Pakistani inmates in the wake of the brutal assault and death of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in a Pakistan jail.

A jail official told IANS that as many as 20 Pakistanis are lodged in Tihar's nine sub-jails, most of them booked for terrorism or drug peddling.

"The inmates are under the surveillance of close circuit television (CCTV) cameras," a jail officer said.

According to the officer, a day after the attack on Sarabjit Singh in Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore, superintendents of jails here were asked to keep a strict vigil on Indian inmates, so that no one hurts the Pakistani prisoners.

Sarabjit, 49, died at Lahore's Jinnah Hospital Thursday after he was assaulted by Pakistani prisoners April 26.

Tihar has a three-tier security cover: The outer security is under the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), while the inner rings are manned by the Tamil Nadu Special Policemen and Delhi Jails security officers.

The Tamil Nadu Police have been asked to keep a constant vigil on the Pakistani inmates' cells and surveillance has been increased, the official said.

--Indo-Asian News service

aks/ros/vt