Guj detainee death: Kin ask Centre to raise issue with UK govt

Kin of a Gujarati man, who died of cardiac arrest while under detention by immigration authorities in the UK last month, today appealed to Centre to raise the issue with British Government even as they accused the Indian High Commission of not helping them in the matter.
"My brother Pinakin died due to cardiac arrest during his detention at Yarl's Wood Immigration removal centre in Bedfordshire in UK on April 20. The Indian government must ask the UK government on how an innocent Indian citizen was kept under detention for more than two months," Pinakin's cousin Kalapi Patel told PTI here.

Patel alleged the Indian High Commission's office in UK did not help them in getting justice to Pinakin.
"...Instead of supporting us, they (the high commission office) bluntly told us they cannot ask any questions to the British government on the issue," he said.
Patel said he would take up the issue with the PMO if no action is taken by the Union government in this regard.
"Why Indian government cannot ask their UK counterpart about the mysterious death of a Gujarati. I will wait for two days, and if no action is taken by Indian government, I will take up this issue to the Prime Minister's Office," he added.

Pinakin Patel (33) and his wife Bhavisha (33), hailing from Bhavanipura village in Anand district, had gone to the UK for a ten-day trip when Immigration officers at Heathrow airport held them on February 11, said Patel.

The couple has an eight-year-old son.
Patel alleged the couple were detained by authorities merely on suspicion that they were planning to settle down in the UK as Pinakin was carrying his original degree certificates with him.
"My brother had time and again told the officials of the detention centre that he carried those degree certificates on his travel agent's suggestion and also pleaded to send them back to India," Patel said.

He said the authorities detained the couple at the centre for more than two months.
"On April 20, I got a call from one of my friends informing me that Pinakin had died due to cardiac arrest in detention centre, he said.