Chaman Lal Mattoo, father of Priyadarshini Mattoo, on Monday hoped that the Delhi high court judgment sentencing Santosh Kumar Singh to death for murdering his daughter would serve as a deterrent to those who commit such heinous crimes.

Having waited for justice for 11 years, Mattoo said, "What could be the reaction of a father who has lost his daughter in such circumstances? She (Priyadarshini) was almost butchered by the guilty. Any type of punishment which has been decided by the court, I accept it. So, whatever would be the outcome of the judgment, here or in the Supreme Court, should act as a deterrent to those who indulge in such heinous crimes," he said on phone from Palampur in Himachal Pradesh.

Describing the past 11 years as a period full of "anguish and pain", Mattoo said, "Let us try to join others who are in distress and pain, like in the Jessica Lal [Images] case, Nitish Katara case and some other cases which are unnoticed and unheard of."