Countdown to Kasab's punishment begins

Mumbai: Barely hours before sentencing was to be pronounced on Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Amir Kasab, the prosecution early on Thursday expressed confidence that the perpetrator of the 26/11 mayhem in Mumbai would get the hangman's noose.

Kasab was pronounced guilty on May 3 in the November 26, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Special Judge M L Tahaliyani is expected to deliver the sentencing sometime onThursday afternoon.

Tahaliyani conducted the trial in the case for over a year in the high security central prison at Arthur Road in Central Mumbai.

Unprecedented security measures have been undertaken in and around the central prison. Large number of police have been deployed all along the Sane Guruji Marg where the jail is located. A total of 200 Indo-Tibetan Border Security guards have been entrusted the task of Kasab's security in the prison.

"We are very comfortable and absolutely confident of getting what we have demanded (death sentence)," said Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam on Thursday.

In his arguments after the verdict pronounced Kasab guilty, Nikam had fervently pleaded for death and called the terrorist "a Satan", "a killing machine", "a devil", "a snake in human form" and "a dog".

He also pointed out that Kasab had been convicted for murder, waging war against India and hatching a criminal conspiracy. "If all these are read together, the maximum punishment is death and minimum is life imprisonment," Nikam had pointed out.

"I am for maximum punishment and this submission is not with a sense of revenge... we don't seek barbaric justice... justice should meet the end."

The 60-hour audacious attacks that began on the night of November 26, 2008 and went on till the afternoon of November 29, 2009 was carried out by 10 Pakistani terrorists, including Kasab. The terror attacks left 166 Indians and foreigners dead.

Nikam said that in Kasab's case, it was not just the murder, but the way in which the murder was committed, and the accused had the urge to kill which shook the collective conscience of the society.

This makes it "the rarest of rare cases", not merely in terms of the number of deaths caused, but also the mode or manner of causing the deaths and the high degree of cruelty make it an exception, he said.

Nikam further argued that Kasab not only killed, but he "enjoyed the killing", which shows his unscrupulous attitude and total disregard for human life.

"Kasab killed people with design, without mercy. He and Abu Ismail were responsible for killing 72 people, including 14 policemen, and the victims were helpless, defenceless and there was no provocation.

"They (the terrorist duo) killed without discretion or distinction, young or old, Hindus, Muslims, Jews and Christians," said Nikam.

Demanding death penalty for Kasab, Nikam told Special Judge Tahaliyani that this would meet the end of justice, serve as a deterrent not only to Kasab but also as a signal to like-minded people.

"If we don't award the death penalty (to Kasab), India would remain a soft target," Nikam had said.

Nikam and Kasab's lawyers have reached the court.