The native border village of Sarabjit Singh in Punjab sank into deeper grief as his mortal remains reached Amritsar late on Thursday evening by a special flight from Lahore. Sarabjit would be cremated with full state honors on Friday as announced by the government.
A second post-mortem is scheduled to be conducted by Indian doctors in Punjab before the last rites are performed by the distraught family. A flower decked ambulance took Sarabjit’s body to Patti civil hospital for post-mortem.
Sarabjit’s two daughters, wife and sister, who returned in the evening to their native village Bhikhiwind, some 50 km from Amritsar on the border with Pakistan, broke down several times as relatives and friends in large numbers got together at their house to mourn the death.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who described Sarabjit Singh announced a financial assistance of Rs 1 crore for the family. The Punjab government also declared a three-day state mourning. Flags will fly half mast on all government buildings and there will be no official ceremonial functions during this period. The state also announced that the two daughters of Sarabjit Singh will be given government jobs in Punjab.
Women in large numbers who had gathered at Sarabjit’s house beat their chest in grief even as the family remained inconsolable. Several leaders of political parties also reached Bhikhiwind to meet the grieving family.
