Click to play videoMumbai: In a highly surcharged atmosphere, a 10-year-old witness, the youngest to testify so far in the Mumbai terror attack case, identified Ajmal Kasab, the lone captured terrorist, as the man who sprayed bullets on innocent people on the fateful night of November 26, 2008.
The witness, who was shot on her leg during the attack inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal (CST) in Mumbai, and her father Natwarlal deposed before the special court in the CST attack case in which Kasab is charged with killing over 50 people.
“One witness is a child and she has categorically stated that on the night of November 26 Ajmal Kasab and one tall boy, who is Abu Ismail, had indiscriminately fired and lobbed grenades,” special public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam said.
On the night of 26/11, Natwarlal arrived at the crowded CST station at around 2100 hours IST along with his son and daughter. They were to board the 2255 hours IST train to Pune. At around 2150 hours IST they heard a loud explosion and a gunshot.
A scared Natwarlal told his children to run. While the son ran in another direction, Natwarlal and his daughter ran in the direction of the terrorists and soon she was shot in the leg.
The court decided to permit the 10-year-old to depose after much deliberation. The child, who has still not recovered from the injury, was brought into the court in her father's arms to take oath.
Following is the exchange between the court and the witness:
Girl: I saw someone firing and then I was injured.
Judge: Do you recognise him?
Girl: Yes.
Judge: Is he here in the courtroom?
Girl: Yes.
Judge: Who is he?
Girl points to Kasab and says, 'it’s him'
But it was her angry father who got emotional in the court and abused Kasab.
The father said that Kasab should be hanged and not shown any mercy. With emotional scenes being played out in the court, the defense, too, decided to cut the cross examination to the point, choosing to direct the questions through the judge.
“There was an emotional outburst and the father deposed in a sensitive manner. The court had to pacify him,” Ujwal Nikam said.
(With inputs from Toral Varia)
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)
displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of CNN-IBN does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them.