‘Omble saved many innocent Muslims’

Muslim leaders and clerics on Thursday hailed the death sentence awarded to Pakistani gunmen Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab.

“Assistant sub-inspector Tukaram Omble has saved lives of many innocent Muslims,” Samajwadi Party MP Abu Asim Azmi told DNA.

“He sacrificed his life to capture the Pakistani terrorist. He gave us justice. If Kasab were not captured, the police would have arrested innocent people and kept them falsely in jail. We owe our lives to him,” Azmi said, adding. “Kasab should be hanged at CST station. People should watch him die.”

The maulanas too welcomed the decision, but said the delay had resulted in waste of tax payers' money.  “The whole world saw Kasab kill innocent Indians and he deserved a death penalty. But, I feel it has come a little late,” said Maulana Mehmood Daryabadi, secretary Ulema Council, India. “And while he is being pampered, the government is indifferent to the state of many Muslim innocents who are languishing in jail.”

Congress legislator Muzaffar Hussain said the verdict had sent a message to the perpetrators of the crime, that they would not be spared.

However, human rights activist Asghar Ali Engineer believes that death penalty is not the solution.

“It is more important to reform a person,” he said. “Fear of death doesn't deter anyone from committing a crime. Reforming someone gives them a chance to change. It is more productive.”