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India 'spy' Surjeet Singh returns from Pakistan jail | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
An Indian man has returned to his country after spending more than 30 years in jail in Pakistan for spying. | |
Surjeet Singh, 69, was greeted at the Wagah border crossing by his son and other family members and well-wishers. | |
Wearing marigold garlands around his neck, Mr Singh admitted to reporters: "I had gone there for spying." | |
There was confusion this week when Pakistan said another Indian, Sarabjit Singh, would be freed, but later clarified it was to be Surjeet Singh. | |
Sarabjit Singh has been on death row for more than 21 years for spying and bombings he denies. | |
'Really happy' | |
TV pictures showed Mr Singh crossing the Wagah border, accompanied by Border Security Force personnel and police. | |
Family members greeted him by putting several marigold garlands around his neck and offered him sweets. | |
"I am free after 30 years. I've met my family, I'm really happy," he told reporters. | |
Mr Singh said he had been treated well in jail. | |
He said he met his fellow prisoner, Sarabjit Singh, regularly in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat prison and that he had been well treated too. | |
Surjeet Singh said he would do everything possible to get his fellow prisoner freed. He said "media hype" had spoiled Sarabjit Singh's case. | |
Surjeet Singh now plans to go to the Golden Temple, Sikhdom's holiest place, "to pray and hug my children". | |
Earlier this week, Pakistan's law minister conveyed to the government that Surjeet Singh had completed his life term and ought to be released and sent back to India. | |
That followed reports, which turned out to be wrong, that Pakistan was about to free Sarabjit Singh. | |
Pakistan and India frequently arrest each other's citizens, often accusing them of being spies after they have strayed across the land or maritime border. | Pakistan and India frequently arrest each other's citizens, often accusing them of being spies after they have strayed across the land or maritime border. |
In recent years, several Indians returning from Pakistani jails have admitted to spying. | |