'93 Mumbai blasts: Verdict

It is one of the longest trials in Indian judicial history. Thirteen years, yes, thirteen years after a series of bomb blasts rocked the Mumbai city on 12th Mar 1993; a special TADA court has delivered its first batch of verdict on 12th Sep 2006 since judge has conveyed that he would give the verdict in batches. Court has convicted four Tiger Memon’s family’s members, who were charged with conspiracy, plotting the blasts, abetting etc. The fate of these convicts will be decided on Thursday, 14th Sep 2006. Tiger Memon, who is purported as one of the masterminds behind these blasts and a close ally of Dawood Ibrahim, is absconding along with Dawood since after the blasts.

The sentence for the guilty could be between five years in prison and a life term, which is nothing in front of the agony and the trauma faced by the victims of those blasts. Thousands of lives changed within few hours on that Friday, Mar 12, 1993, which is now termed as Black Friday. Hundreds of innocent people died and thousands got severely injured who are still trying to recuperate from that trauma; who still skip their heartbeats for a while when they hear that a bomb timed off in Mumbai. Mumbai, being the financial capital of India, is still a tempting target for terrorists and Mumbai-ites are no longer unknown and unfamiliar with these dreadful acts. Many times after Mar 12th, 1993, this city has bore the same kind of violence and terror attacks, which have caused unprecedented loss of lives and property. Innocent people are victimized every time and the perpetrators, if they are caught, are sentenced to five years or to a life term. Is this punishment sufficient for such heinous act? I don’t think so. Even the severest punishment is not enough. Already, the verdict has got delayed by years and now, such meager sentence will only hurt the sentiments of the victims of those blasts, who have been waiting for this day. What was the fault of a 12 year old kid who lost his mother, the lone earner of the family. What was the fault of a man who lost his eyes and still trying to get out of that trauma. If you ask these persons and many more like them, they would only suggest the severest of punishments to all of those who were involved. Court should think about all those victims. Having waited for 13 years, some of them have already lost the hopes of getting justice and some of them have already become cynical about this whole process. Now, it's court's turn to show with its stern judgment that justice can only be delayed but never be denied.