Body of Indian national who died in Pakistan last month handed over to BSF

The body of an Indian national, who died in Pakistan last month, was handed over to the Border Security Force on Wednesday by the Pakistan Rangers, officials said.

Vipan Kumar (38), a native of Una district of Himachal Pradesh, was nabbed by the Pakistan authorities when he inadvertently crossed over to the neighbouring country around 10 years ago. He was mentally unstable and his missing report was also lodged at a police station in Una district at that time, they said.

After his arrest, Vipan was lodged at Kot Lakhpat jail in Lahore. The cause of death was still unclear but he had been sick for the last few weeks and undergoing treatment at Jinnah hospital in Lahore, an official said at the Attari-Wagah border.

Vipan, a resident of Nangal Jeetpur area of Una district, died on April 2, said the official, adding that it took around one month to complete documentation to bring the body from Pakistan to India.

According to the officials, Vipan's family members, who came to receive the body, said he was mentally unstable and crossed the India-Pakistan border inadvertently.

Una Naib Tehsildar Rajan Sharma, along with Vipan's brother Chiranji Lal, were at the Attari border to receive the body, which was sent to Una in a special ambulance, the officials said.