Convict on death row may move apex court
A convict on death row lodged in the Hindalaga prison is planning to move the Supreme Court against the rejection of his mercy petition by President Pranab Mukhejree even as the prison authorities are on the lookout for a hangman to execute the death sentence.
Saibanna Ningappa Natikar, 53, a resident of Jewargi in Gulbarga taluk, was awarded death sentence after he was convicted of the murder of his wife and daughter. The
Supreme Court had upheld the sentence in 2005.
Natikar had filed a petition before the President seeking clemency which was rejected on January 4, 2013. The advocate for Natikar met him at the jail on Sunday and obtained his signature to move the apex court against the decision of the President. The prison authorities are awiating an official communication from the office of the President on the rejection of the mercy plea, which will be in the form of a ‘black warrant,’ mentioning the date of hanging.
Sources in the prison said Natikar seemed to be in good health. The execution of the death sentence will be delayed if the medical board to examine the convicts finds them insane or pregnant in case of women.
None of Natikar’s relatives and friends visited him since he was awarded death sentence by the apex court, the sources added.
The Hindalga jail, the only prison that has gallows in the State, does not have a hangman and the services of the retired hangman would be availed, the sources said.
The Central Prison is one of the biggest prisons that houses members of notorious gangs and has 64 death convicts.
The Prisons department has released Rs three crore for installing cellphone jammers.
A Hyderabad-based company will soon conduct a survey of the prison and install jammers.
