Kasab to remain in Arthur Road prison

Mumbai massacre: Materials used by terrorist may be put on display by the police

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting of the Maharashtra home department officials at the secretariat. “We have decided to keep Kasab in Arthur Road jail at least for some time,” confirmed additional chief secretary (home) Chandra Iyengar.

Arthur Road prison is essentially for undertrials and it was here that Kasab has been lodged soon after his capture on 26/11 night.

Once an undertrial is convicted, he is sent to either Nasik or Yerawada central prisons to undergo sentence, even during the pendency of appeals in the higher courts.

The special court which convicted him for the gruesome massacre was also set up in the prison premises and a tunnel was specially built to connect Kasab’s cell to the court.

“If we have to move him to the Bombay High Court, the Arthur Road jail is convenient and it already has all the security measures in place. Shifting Kasab to other place can be considered later,” Iyengar said.

Huge expenditure
The state government spent Rs 2 crore to build the 20-foot long tunnel. The tunnel can withstand bomb, bullets and even chemical weapons.
Kasab’s solitary cell too was reinforced with iron plates and is monitored 24 hours by surveillance cameras. Kasab is also guarded by a battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Naturally, the security measures incur huge expenditure, running into crores of rupees so far, and will continue to drain the exchequer.
Kasab was awarded death sentence by the special court which held that keeping him alive will be a “lingering danger” to society from a person who has no chance of reform.

In another development, if the Mumbai police have their way, the articles used as evidence during the 26/11 terror attacks trial would be kept on display in a museum.
According to Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Himanshu Roy, there are plans to display some of the articles used by the terrorists in the police museum on the premises of city police headquarters in South Mumbai.
Among the terror articles which might be displayed include GPS devices, Nokia mobile handsets, satellite phones, blankets, towels, jackets, haver sacks, head phones, water bottle, a rubber dinghy (which was used by terrorists to cover short distance to land on Mumbai beach from the sea), Yamaha engine, toothbrushes, detergent powder, tissue paper, AK 47 and pistols.
Discussion to dispose of 24 kg  of RDX recovered from the target spots of the 26/11 terror attack is on, sources added.
DH News Service