Indian national in Indonesia escapes firing squad execution; requests Indian government for help

New Delhi, July 30: Indian national found guilty of smuggling heroin into Indonesia not executed. Gurdip Singh who was to be executed by the firing squad was spared execution and India was exploring its options to help bring him home.

“Indian Ambassador in Indonesia has informed me that Gurdip Singh whose execution was fixed for last night, has not been executed,”External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said.

Gurdip was among the fortunate 10 convicts whose execution was not carried out.

Ministry of External Affairs said Indian Embassy officials were in discussions with their Indonesian counterparts and the senior leadership of Indonesia on the issue.

Gurdip’s wife Kulwinder Kaur, said she could not believe her ears when she heard her husband’s voice over the phone. Kulwinder said Gurdip thanked the Indian government, especially External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and the media for taking up his case.

“He told me that he will return to the jail he was lodged in and asked me to request the government to bring him back home,” she said.

According to Gurdip’s wife, her husband had left for New Zealand in 2002 but travel agents stopped him in Indonesia, took away his passport and forced him into the ilegal trade. He was arrested two years later in 2004 and has been in jail ever since.