Victims of Hyderabad blasts seek capital punishment for culprits

Victims of the twin blast that occurred in 2007 at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park in Hyderabad, seek capital punishment for culprits of the ghastly incident.

A local court on Tuesday convicted two Indian Mujahideen operatives Aneeq Shafique Sayeed and Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chowdhari in the case.

The quantum of sentence for the convicted Indian Mujahideen operatives will be announced next Monday.

Chander Nayak, one of the victims who lost an eye in the blast said he was disappointed over the acquittal of two of the accused and sought the state government to appeal against their acquittal in the high court.

“As per the Indian law the highest punishment is hanging. I want those convicted to be hanged.

“And also the government should seize all the properties of those convicted and distribute it to the victims,” Nayak said holding a placard which read Telangana chief minister should help victims.

Nayak, then 18 years old, went to Koti area to buy some old books and was injured in the blast.

“I lost my right eye. I have no job now. Government should help us. Government should approach high court seeking punishment for those two acquitted in the lower court,” he added.

B Anjaiah, who lost his daughter and two other close relatives in the blast said he expects capital punishment for the culprits.

He works in the sales department of a local news paper.

“It is like a nightmare for me. My daughter, who was just 14 years then, and two of my close relatives lost their lives. I hope the perpetrators will be hanged,” he said.

Syed Rahim, who suffered eye injuries in the blast at Gokul Chat said, “The culprits should be hanged.”

He lost one of his eyes and is still suffering from vision-related problems.

The Telangana government gave him Rs 5 lakh as compensation.

“The police also should seriously look for those still at large,” he said.

Another victim, Sadasiva Reddy, who was pursuing engineering when the incident took place, also expressed the same.

His injuries are so severe that he barely walks and talks due to the impact.

Premchand Vijayvargiya, one of the promoters of the popular outlet at Koti said four of his relatives and two of his workers were injured in the blast leaving the family in
trauma.

“The culprits should be given toughest of toughest punishment for the act they committed,” he said.

The eatery was closed for about three months after the incident as police took over the shop for collecting and preserving evidences and the shop also needed a make over.

The near simultaneous blasts at Gokul Chat killed 32 people and left 47 injured, while 12 others died and 21 were injured at the open air theatre at Lumbini Park, a few metres away from the state secretariat in the blasts.