HYDERABAD: For Chander Naik (30), who was an upcoming bowman making a name for himself in the field of archery, right eye played a key role in focusing on the target and hitting the bulls eye. But, it was this eye that he lost in the bomb blast at Gokul Chat Bhandar in August of 2007. Eleven years and 17 days after that attack, still reeling under financial crisis because of the loss, Chander, with his left eye now focused on the television set at his home in Baghlingampally on Monday evening, keenly awaited the judgement on the twin bomb blasts.
Minutes after it was beamed in bold on the TV set that two convicts were awarded death sentence and one was given lifer, speaking to Express, Chander said he is only half content and would be completely satisfied only after the death sentence is implemented.
“Police and court have done their work. Now, it is government’s job to take care of the victims. Even if the government does not help us financially, those who have ended up with permanent disability because of the bomb blast should be provided with a government job which serves as a permanent solution to our financial crisis,” said Naik.
Family members of a 14-year-old girl who died in the blast at the chat bhandar also appealed to the government to either provide them with a government job or help them financially. “Rules state that only family members of the deceased who used to work will be provided with a government job. Who knows what my daughter would have become? She might have been an IAS officer. We request government to do justice to us,” said B Anjaiah, who lost two more family members, in the ghastly incident.
Among the people who were waiting to know the quantum of punishment was A Narasimha Sharma who lost his 20-year-old daughter in the bomb blast at the chat bhandar. The father who lost his young daughter asked what right did the convicts had to take away her life?
“They took away all the happiness from my life. As a person who has been facing the loss, I am saying the death sentence is a right decision. But it should be implemented soon because they will approach High Court, Supreme Court,” said A Narasimha.
“I believe in the Indian justice system. I know whatever the Courts have done or will do is for the good,” said Prem Chand Vijay, who works at Gokul Chat. Vijay’s brother’s son, who was then 25, was injured in the blast. Vijay contends that their family did not ask for anything from the government because they felt life is the greatest gift. “We content with the fact my brother’s son did not die,” he said.
Telangana BJP hails court verdict
Hyderabad: Telangana BJP leaders hailed the court verdict on twin bomb blasts case. Speaking after the Court verdict was announced, Telangana BJP’s former president G Kishan Reddy said, “This is an apt sentence for those carrying out Pakistan-sponsored terror activities in the country. Though it has been 11 years since the twin blasts, the Court has finally delivered justice by pronouncing death sentence for the two culprits and life sentence for one.” “Not just BJP, but the people of this country believe that only severe punishments like death sentence will help in curbing terror activities. We should all get united against terrorism,” said Ramachander Rao.
‘My clients were wrongly convicted’
Defence counsel Gandham Gurumurthy, appearing for the convicts said the two convicts were falsely implicated while the acquitted men were let go scot free. He said that Farooq Sharfuddin Tarqish, who is also an accused in the case is acquitted but Anique Shafique Sayeed, who is sent by him to Hyderabad, is convicted. Following the judgement, the defence counsel said that he would challenge the decision in the higher court. “The Judge has no right to acquit two persons and convict two others who were also involved,” he said. He added that it is a weak case with a weak evidence. Raising doubts over the judgement, MBT spokesperson Amjed Khan said, “The judgement feels forced. NIA advocates appointed have ABVP background,” he added.
Convicts maintain innocence
The convicts broke down when the judge awarded their sentences. Even then, they claimed they weren’t involved in any of the cases and were being falsely implicated. The other two persons Farooq Sharfuddin Tarqish and Mohd Sadiq Israr Sheikh, who were acquitted earlier, were shifted to Pune. Mohd Tariq Anjum Ahsan, an engineering graduate who was convicted for sheltering two of the three absconding accused, claimed he had never even met them.