'Feeling good, but this can't heal our wounds'

Their wounds may never heal but survivors and relatives of victims of the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai on Thursday voiced satisfaction that Pakistani gunman Ajmal Amir Kasab has been handed down the maximum punishment under law.

"I am feeling good (after the verdict). But this cannot heal the wounds.... The decision has reinforced the faith in the judicial process of the country... the pain will always be there," said Ragini Sharma, widow of a chief ticket collector at the Chatrapatti Shivaji Terminus who was killed on the fateful night by Pakistani terrorists, after Kasab was sentenced to death by a special court.

K Unnikrishnana, father of slain National Security Guards commander Sandeep, who sacrificed his life during the 26/11 terror strike, termed the sentencing as 'symbolic.'

"The sentencing is a symbolic one and I regret that our system cannot give much more harsher punishment that this. So I have to be satisfied with this. What we could have finished with the single bullet in a second, we have taken 17 months," Unnikrishnan said.

On being asked about the quantum of punishment, he said, "This is the maximum he has committed and we are giving him the maximum."

Sriram Vernekar, photographer of a news daily who clicked a number of photographs of Kasab while he was firing at innocent people on November 26, 2008, hailed the verdict.

"He (Judge M L Tahiliyani) told in the court that my photo is the main evidence in the case. I followed him (on 26/11) though he was firing...I followed him from CST to Cama bridge...the same picture the judge used as the main evidence. It is a great certificate for my work," he said.

Recounting the nights of the attacks, Chitkala Zutshi, a survivor of terror strike at Hotel Taj, said, "This is a very good decision. I welcome it."

"God is great as we were saved. It was luck and really fast thinking and action on part of the Taj officials, who were looking after us there. Also the Mumbai Police and the commandos, who had entered there. We did get out. It was a combination of luck and a very quick and efficient action by all these people."

Additional commissioner of police, Deven Bharti said, "Our goal has been achieved. We really worked hard on the case."