This story by Gayatri Parameswaran:
Today, nearly a year and a half after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the Special Court pronounced Ajmal Amir Kasab, the prime suspect in the case, guilty. The trial is the biggest in the city’s recent history and has attracted much attention, including threats to his defence team.
While the judge still has to pronounce his sentence, South Asia Wired asked a few Mumbaikars if they feel justice has been served by this trial and what they’re expecting from the sentencing of Kasab. We discovered the subject is still a raw nerve for the people of Mumbai.
Joison Joe Sabu, 36. Advertising professional
“I think he deserves capital punishment because it’s about time India took a stern stand on terrorism. This should be set as an example for other terrorist organisations plotting attacks on our country. Moreover, it is just a waste of money to keep him alive.”
Siddhant Mehta, 22. Student
“Kasab definitely deserves the maximum sentence. However, I think life imprisonment is far worse than death. I am not for capital punishment in this case. The trial itself took too long but at least the judgement was spot on. He was going to kill himself after his crimes so life sentence seems to be the best punishment.”
Gayathri Bhaskaran, 29. Business manager
“Kasab should be hanged. All his accomplices were shot down on the night of the attacks without any thought. At least Kasab got a fair trial. If the rest of the terrorists are dead today, then why should Kasab be spared? What is the point in keeping him alive?”
Dhiren Talpade, 31. NGO employee
“The terrorists came to Mumbai with the knowledge that they would be killed. So granting Kasab death is not really a punishment in his eyes. He should instead be kept alive and made to suffer his life in prison.”
Swapnil Ambure, 25. Lawyer
“It is an open and shut case. He should be given capital punishment. He was convicted for murdering166 innocent civilians. He was sent here as a jihadi, to earn his death for his cause. He didn’t earn his death, so if we grant him death penalty he would be unsuccessful in his mission. The move will even stop hundreds of youngsters from taking this path in the future.”
Priyanka Uchil, 22. Advertising professional
“I definitely think he should be hanged. He is responsible for causing trauma to so many people who have lost their near and dear ones in the attacks. The best way to give them justice is by giving Kasab capital punishment.”
Lyandra D’souza, 24. Online journalist
“He should be hanged to death. It is unfair if all the people who have and are still suffering because of his crimes see him get away. He waged war against the country and the only way to provide justice is by hanging him.”
Dipti Mangrulkar, 46. Architect
“I believe that Kasab deserves the worst punishment possible. Killing him would make it easy for him. This might sound spiteful, but I really want to see him being subjected to solitary life imprisonment.”
Photo Taj Hotel by: EPA/STRINGER
on May 8th, 2010 at 1:01 am
What is of the most fundamental importance here is that the due process of law takes precedent over the trial proceedings, so that democracy in India both stays intact and remains consistent in dispencing justice. It is surprising to hear from even such a small survey of commentators that the trial was a waste of time. this is exactly the opinion the terrorists hope to elicit so as to win a final victory in overturning how Indian society manages its legal ststem. Now that the sentence has been confirmed to be the death penalty, this decision cannot be interpreted as martyrdom by the terrorists, as it was arrived at by the judiciary backed by jurisprudence and precedent of written law. Even in the most obvious and horrid crimes, the means by which they are punished and justice is seen to be done, must respect and conform with the rule of law, to legitimately defend the freedoms the criminals seek to provoke the extraction of.
on May 18th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
It’s so sad that there are some people who ruthlessly kill people as if life is that so simple for them, like they are the gods. Too bad things like this happen.