JOIN USNo last wish, no will, no breakfast: A look at the last few hours of Nirbhaya convicts
The Nirbhaya convicts walked the last few steps of their lives without leaving a will, a last wish, breakfast or changing the clothes they were wearing in the night.
Mukesh Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) were clutching to the last straws of hope as the Supreme Court heard their petition in the wee hours of Friday but as jail officials and West Delhi District Magistrate Neha Bansal entered their cells, they knew it was all over.
The convicts, who were hanged at 5:30 am, refused to have breakfast and did not take bath. They did not change clothes also while all of them left no will.
As the time ticked away, Mukesh told jail officials that he wanted to donate his organs while Akshay said that his painting should be handed over to Jail Superintendent and a copy of 'Hanuman Chalisa' he has kept with himself to his family.
Jail officials said Vinay and Mukesh had their dinner, which comprised of roti, dal, rice and vegetables while Akshay had tea in the evening but no dinner. Earlier, one of the convicts had expressed his wish to meet another death-row convict but was not allowed.
Soon after Supreme Court turned down the plea to stay the execution, the momentum for the execution gathered pace. The whole night the Tihar Jail administration were glued to the court, first Delhi High Court and then the apex court.
When jail officials asked whether they would like to pray or read any religious scriptures, they answered in the negative. Vinay broke down as the news reached him with jail officials saying he was pleading to be let off.
After a medical check-up confirmed they were fit for being executed, they were taken to the execution chamber where their face was covered and hands tied from behind. At the stroke of 5:30 AM, hangman Pawan Jallad pulled the lever and their body hung.
They were left hanging for 30 minutes and after doctors confirmed their death, the bodies were moved to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for post mortem.