Ahmedabad: An Indian man who was arrested by the Pakistani agencies in 1994 and awarded a life term by a court for espionage, returned and reunited with his family after 30 years. Yadav was released last week and was sent to India. Speaking with ETV Bharat, he shared about his bitter experiences and about atrocities meted out to him.
In conversation with Kuldeep Yadav who stays 30 years in Pakistan jail Kuldeep Yadav, an Indian citizen who has been imprisoned for 30 years, has returned home. He went to Pakistan in 1992. He was going to cross the border while returning to India in 1994. Meanwhile, the local people grew suspicious of him. He was arrested by a Pakistani agency. He was imprisoned in a Pakistani jail at the age of just 27. Finally, after 30 years, he returned to his hometown.
Kuldeep Yadav was court-martialled in June 1994 after he was caught by Pakistani agencies. His interrogation lasted for about 2.5 years. Then in the year 1996, Kuldeep Yadav was sentenced to life imprisonment, so he was sent to the Central Jail in Kotalakhpat of Lahore.
Kuldeep Yadav was released from the Pakistani jail after 30 years and reached his home in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, in a special conversation with ETV Bharat, he also expressed the happiness of meeting the family along with the bitter memory of the Pakistani prison. He was confined in a Pakistani jail since he was 27 years old. He was also a friend of Sarabjit who died in a Pakistani jail.
Kuldeep's family made several attempts to free him. Talking about Sarabjit, Kuldeep Yadav said, "I went to jail in 1996 and met him for the first time in 1997. Sarabjit and I had a good friendship with him. Jailers used to visit us every 15 days. After 15 days, he (Sarbjit) used to send a name, of the people whom he wants to meet. He also worked for the country and sacrificed his life for the country."
He further said, "Sarabjit was very good-natured. He got along well with all the people there. Due to some internal quarrel, he was killed. I am very sad that I could not meet him later. After that, there were many changes. Earlier, the Pakistani prisoner and our barracks used to be separate, but we could meet, but after Sarabjit's murder, we were completely separated. No Pakistani can meet us and we can't meet them. And there was a big change under the Securities Act."
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"Before that our condition was very poor, but after that, the government there increased the facilities a lot and earlier even food was not good, but then it has improved a lot. The medical check-up facility has been improved. The doctor there also took good care of us," he added.
Kuldeep Yadav was born in Dehradun. He shifted with his family to Ahmedabad in 1972. Apart from this, Kuldeep Yadav studied from 1st to 7th standard in Dehradun and attended Gyandeep Hindi School in Ahmedabad from 8th to 12th. Then he completed his graduation from Sabarmati Arts and Commerce College. At that time he started giving tuition due to not getting a job.
Apart from this, a pan shop and a garage were started. During that time he came in contact with some people and got an opportunity to work for the country and he went to Pakistan. He went to Pakistan in 1992 and tried to return to India in 1994. And while going to cross the border, the Pakistani agency arrested him on the basis of suspicion. While his interrogation lasted for approximately 2.5 years from the year 1994.
He was finally sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996. His sentence was completed on 26 October 2021. So now finally after 30 years, he returned to his hometown and his joy was beyond measure. Kuldeep Yadav's brother said, "we came to know that he is in a Pakistani jail in 1996. When we got the information according to the letter written by Kuldeep. At that time we wrote to the government as well as the central government and the security ministry and also the prime minister to release him, but we did not get a response from anyone. At that time we were in touch with him over letters."
Kuldeep Yadav's sister said, "I used to send rakhi to him every Raksha Bandhan, but sometimes he didn't get it and I used to pray to God that he would return soon. I can only understand that we have had a lot of trouble for 30 years. I request the Indian government that some Indian people are still imprisoned in Pakistani jails. The government should do something to save them."
His family said, "our financial condition is not good and we have not been given any financial assistance by the government."
