Indian National Gurdip Singh spared as for now in Indonesia

Indian National Gurdip Singh spared as for now in Indonesia

The Indian nationals suffering out of India in other countries always hope for a helping hand on the foreign land. One such person, who is expecting a helping hand, is Gurdip Singh. He is trapped in Indonesia for the crime of drug dealing. The drug crimes in Indonesia are punished very seriously, they “execute” them. Gurdip is in Indonesia since 2004 and since then, he is being charged with drug smuggling. But the point to be noted is that he is innocent as per the claims of his family. Actually, Gurdip claims that in 2004, he was duped by an agent. He had paid for the work visa in New Zealand but was allegedly abandoned mid-journey in Indonesia.

As a result, he was caught by the Indonesian Police and was put in jail. Thursday 28, 2016 was decided as the date of his execution. He also called his family in India and told them that he believed it as the last conversation between them and would only return back as dead.

But Indonesian officials spared Gurdip at the last minute and executed the rest four persons, including three foreigners for alleged drug crimes. The Officials did not give a proper reason for this reprieve but said that 10 more convicts would be executed later at an undefined date.

It came as a huge relief to the family of Gurdip in Punjab’s Jalandhar. The news was given to Kulwinder Kaur, wife of Gurdip on a phone call from her husband telling that he is hoping to be saved.

Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is also monitoring the case personally and posted a tweet. Also, she assured the family that she would do whatever it takes to save Gurdip Singh.

The executions were held at a remote prison island in Indonesia despite the strong protests and rallies carried out by the international rights group like UN and the European Union.

The higher authorities of Indonesia have confirmed that there will be 10 more executions carried out in stages, the timings for which are yet not decided.

Manjit Kaur, daughter of Gurdip Singh said, “We got a phone call from my father, he told me that he has lost all hope and now his dead body will return”. She was only three years old when her father got stuck into Indonesia.

The sources say that, before this, such executions took place in April last year, when a total of eight drug convicts were hanged, including two Australians. Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, however, has a different outlook on such executions. He legitimizes them and claims that Indonesia is, till date, very much affected and destroyed due to drugs. The country is fighting a war with the drug lords and thus such capital punishments are justified to sabotage the traffickers severely.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mr. Vikas Swaroop clarifies that Mr. Gurdip Singh has the right to appeal to the President of Indonesia for clemency. “Our officials have met Gurdip Singh and the embassy has asked the government of Indonesia to look at all legal options”.

Our wishes with the Singh family and we all hope that Mr. Singh returns home undefeated. Our Government and Indonesian Embassy are making collective efforts in this direction.

Advertisement

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here