Don't put him on death row, say victims' kin

It was a representative reaction of the families of the victims as well as survivors, whose wounds are too deep to be healed but nevertheless they were happy that one of the terrorists responsible for their miseries is not going to live.

For Vaishali, what comes next is executing the death penalty. “It should not go the way Afzal Guru penalty way, which is pending for past five years,” she said.

Eknath, brother of Tukaram, said, “we are satisfied with the decision... this is the right decision and right verdict for him. Everyone was expecting nothing less than death sentence for him.”

Ragini Sharma, widow of a chief ticket collector at the CST who was killed on the night when Kasab struck at the CST, said “I am feeling good (after the verdict). But this cannot heal the wounds.... The decision has reinforced faith in the judicial process of the country... the pain will always be there.”

Sriram Vernekar, photographer of a news daily who clicked a number of photographs of Kasab while he was firing at innocent people on November 26, 2008, hailed the verdict.
“He (Judge M L Tahilyani) told in the court that my photo is the main evidence in the case. I followed him (on 26/11) though he was firing...I followed him from CST to Cama bridge...the same picture the judge used as the main evidence. It is a great certificate for my work,” he said.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy termed the judgement as an “important conviction” which would act as a deterrent for terrorists.

Recounting the nights of the attacks, Chitkala Zutshi, a retired state home secretary who was at the Taj Mahal hotel on 26/11 night but survived the attack, said “this is a very good decision. I welcome it.”

“God is great as we were saved. It was luck and really fast thinking and action on part of the Taj officials, who were looking after us there. Also the Mumbai police and the commandos, who had entered there. We did get out. It was a combination of luck and and efficient action by all these people,” Zutshi said.