Kasab Hanged in Pune Jail

Pune: Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, was hanged at Pune's Yerawada Jail, Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil said.

"All the legal procedures in the 26/11 terror attacks case were completed. He was sentenced by the trial court, which was upheld by the Bombay High Court, Supreme Court, and his mercy plea was rejected by the president. Accordingly, Kasab has been hanged this morning at 7.30 a.m. in Yerawada Central Jail," Patil told mediapersons.

Kasab's mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee. Shortly thereafter, in the dead of the night, Kasab was shifted amid top secrecy and tight security to Pune's high-security Yerawada jail.

This morning, at 7.30 a.m., he was hanged in the jail premises after which a team of doctors declared him dead.

"The punishment to Kasab is a true tribute to the victims and martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks," Patil said.

"Yes, Kasab has been hanged this morning at 7.30 a.m. in Yerawada Central Jail," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who led the 26/11 terror attacks case, told IANS.

Kasab had been buried inside the premises of Pune's Yerawada Central Jail shortly after the execution, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan told journalists. Chavan said Kasab had been shifted from Mumbai's Arthur Road jail to Pune two days ago. Kasab did not leave behind any will, the chief minister said.

The chilling images of Kasab's killing spree, captured by close-circuit TVs installed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai were rekindled, as Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil announced the execution, carried out in complete secrecy.

Kasab's end came five days before the fourth anniversary of the brutal terror attacks that claimed 166 lives and injured 300 people. Nine of his associates, who had sneaked into Mumbai for the three-day carnage, had been secretly buried in the city in January 2010.

The hanging also comes a day before the winter session of parliament and weeks ahead of Gujarat assembly election in December.