An Indian fisherman died of an electric shock, in a jail in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Monday, prompting leading human rights activist Ansar Burney to demand an inquiry into his death.Bhagwan Das, a fisherman who was being held in Landhi Jail in Karachi, died of an electric shock he suffered while switching on a washing machine, officials said. Das had gone along with other prisoners to a section of the jail to wash clothes this morning when he died of the electric shock, local television news channels reported.Rights activist and former human rights minister Burney said he had asked authorities to conduct a probe as Das had died under “mysterious circumstances”. “This man was a prisoner and it is a bit hard to believe that a prisoner can die of an electric shock. It is not as if he was at home or at his workplace and could have been exposed to electrical equipment that could have caused his death,” Burney said.“I have asked authorities to ensure that Das’ death is investigated to find out what exactly happened,” he said. Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency arrested Das along with 16 other fishermen on April 21 for illegally fishing in Pakistani waters. Scores of Indian fishermen who have been arrested for illegal fishing are being held in Landhi Jail. India and Pakistan frequently detain each other's fishermen for violating maritime boundaries. Pakistan last month freed 99 Indian prisoners, including 96 fishermen, as a goodwill gesture during a visit to Islamabad by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee. The two countries recently formed a joint committee of retired judges to ensure the humane treatment of prisoners and to recommend measures to expedite their release. The Indian members of the panel visited Pakistani jails this month and met Indian prisoners in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi.
