Kasab's body will be laid to rest in India as Pak refused to claim it, says Sushil Kumar Shinde

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Wednesday confirmed that Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving Pakistani terrorist of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, was hanged at Pune's Yerwada Jail on Wednesday morning. He also said that India has not yet received any request from Pakistan to claim the Kasab's body. "Indian mission in Islamabad informed Pakistan government about Kasab's hanging through letter. Pakistan refuses to take the letter, which was then sent through fax," he said.

He said that the Kasab's body will be laid to rest in India since Pakistan has refused to claim it. "Due process of law was followed. Pakistan HC refused to acknowledge letter informing family," he said.

Kasab's mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday night. Shortly thereafter, in the dead of the night, Kasab was shifted amid top secrecy and tight security to Pune's high-security Yerawada jail.

On Wednesday morning, at 7.30 am, he was hanged in the jail premises after which a team of doctors declared him dead.

"The punishment to Kasab is a true tribute to the victims and martyrs of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks," Patil said.

"Yes, Kasab has been hanged this (Wednesday) morning at 7.30 am in Yerawada Central Jail," Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who led the 26/11 terror attacks case, said.

In January 2010, nine of Kasab's associates, who had sneaked into Mumbai on the night of November 26, 2008, to unleash three days of terror, were quietly buried at an undisclosed location near Mumbai.

Kasab's end came just five days before the fourth anniversary of the brutal terror attacks that killed 166 lives and injured 300.

(With additional inputs from IANS)

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