AMN /
1993 Mumbai serial blasts lone death row convict, Yakub Memon has been was hanged a little before 7 am at Nagpur Central Prison. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Maharashtra KP Bakshi told media that Memon was hanged at the Nagpur Central Jail around 7 this morning.
The execution was carried out about two hours after Memon’s lawyers’ last-gasp plea, to get the death warrant stayed, was dismissed by the three-judge bench comprising Justices Deepak Mishra, Amitava Roy and Prafulla Chandra Pant in an unprecedented hearing that began in the wee hours today and ended at dawn. After President Pranab Mukherjee and Maharashtra Governor rejected Memon’s mercy petition yesterday, his lawyers moved the apex court again late last night seeking stay of his hanging. The body of Memon has been handed over to his family, and it is being taken to Mumbai.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria has deployed 30,000 SRPF jawans in the city to prevent any disruption of law and order. All Deputy Commissioners, Additional Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Police have been deployed in sensitive areas in the city.
The Quick Response Teams of police, formed after the 26/11 terrorist attacks, have also been deployed at a few places including the Al Hussaini building in Mahim area where the Memon family lives. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is likely to make a statement on the issue in the state Assembly today. There is also tight security in Nagpur. As a precautionary measure, section 144 has been imposed in the 500 meter radius around Nagpur Central Jail. A Quick Response Team of police has already been deployed near the premises.