Dalbir Kaur, sister of Sarabjit Singh who was sentenced to death for spying by Pakistan, dies

New Delhi: Dalbir Kaur, the sister of Indian national Sarabjit Singh who was sentenced to death for spying by a Pakistan court, has died on Saturday (June 25, 2022), news agency ANI reported. Kaur was 67 and her last rites will be held at Bhikhiwind in Punjab on Sunday.

According to news agency PTI, Kaur had complained of severe chest pain on Saturday night and was taken to a private hospital in Amritsar where she died.

Dalbir Kaur had hit the headlines when she led a vociferous campaign for the release of her brother from the Pakistan jail, where he had been lodged since 1991 after being accused of being involved in a string of bomb blasts in that country's Punjab province.

Sarabjit Singh, 49, had died six days after an attack on him in Lahore prison by the inmates in April 2013. He was attacked by bricks and other sharp objects and had suffered injuries in his back and head and had gone into a coma.

He was convicted of terrorism and spying by a Pakistani court and was sentenced to death in 1991. However, the Pakistani government had stayed his execution for an indefinite period in 2008.

After his death, Sarabjit's body was brought from Lahore to Amritsar where his last rites were held.

Several years ago, Dalbir Kaur, had raised her voice at different forums in a bid to get her brother out of prison.

She had also visited the Kot Lakhpat Rai Jail in Lahore twice along with her family members, including two daughters and wife of Sarbjit Singh, to enquire about his well being.

The life of Sarabjit Singh was also the subject of a biopic that was released in 2016. In the movie, the role of Dalbir Kaur was portrayed by actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

(With agency inputs)