Assam takes up with central agencies release of man lodged in Pak jail

The Assam Police has taken up with the central agencies the issue of consular access and release of Simanta Saikia, a man from the state who is lodged in a Pakistan jail, a state minister said Monday.

Assam's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary told the Assembly that Saikia, who hails from Golaghat district in the state, is lodged in Landhi jail in Karachi in Pakistan.

Saikia was taken into custody by Pakistani authorities along with some other Indians, while they were working on a ship at the Indo-Pakistan border, he said.

"On being contacted the father of the victim Pradip Saikia disclosed that Simanta Saikia aged about 33 years of village Nabagram, District Golaghat, Assam, was arrested on 28/10/2018 by Pakistani authorities," said Patowary in reply to a starred question by BJP MLA Mrinal Saikia in the House.

On Saikia's whereabouts, he said, "As per information available Simanta Saikia has been lodged in Landhi jail of Pakistan.