Victory for India

May 6th 2010 - Ajmal Kasab has been sentenced to death by hanging. The 22 year old Pakistani national, whose antics in Mumbai on26/11 2008 would have put the Joker to shame, had been found guilty of murder, conspiracy, and of waging war against India.
On 26 Nov 2010, 10 Pakinstanis entered Mumbai via sea and let loose upon the city horrors of the like of which modern India never witnessed. In eight separate locations in south Mumbai -Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital , the Orthodox Jewish-owned Nariman House, the Metro Cinema, and a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier's College- they gunned down men, women and children mercilessly. Although it was planned to be a suicide attack, Kasab was secured alive by Indian Special Forces (NSG). The government handled the situation in a matured fashion and it was decided that there will be a proper trial in accordance with the judicial system of the country. There were calls from a significant part of the populace to do without the customary trials and carry out a death sentence to him. But the government successfully resisted all pressure and went through the motions of a fair trial. A defense counsel was appointed for Kasab, but he stood no chance. The prosecution had prepared an 11,000 page charge sheet with offences ranging from entering the railway station without a ticket to waging war against the nation.
But the sad part is, as per our Judicial system the defendant can appeal to the higher courts of the country and finally to the President of India for a mercy plea. And given the Indian context this can take quite some time. But as a civilized nation we need to go through the motions and we will.
“The civilization of a society can be judged by the way it treats its prisoners”. Jai Hind.

EDIT: Capuchin Father Nithiya Sagayam, secretary for the Indian bishops’ Commission for Justice, Peace and Development said the Church is opposed to capital punishment.
Instead of capital punishment, Kasab should “be guided and improved,” he said. “Capital punishment does not solve any problem. It will only make things worse,” he said.
“Capital punishment has to stop. There is a possibility of improving every person. Nobody has the right to kill a person,” he added.