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Rediff.com  » News » 1,190 death sentences awarded in India

1,190 death sentences awarded in India

By Vicky Nanjappa in Delhi
September 13, 2007 14:07 IST
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The death sentence awarded to Ashfaq in the Red Fort attack case takes the number of death sentences in the country 1,190.

Out of the 1,190 persons who were awarded the death sentence, 45 have been executed since independence while 1,145 including Ashfaq continue to languish in jail.

Their petitions are either pending before the Supreme Court or their mercy petitions are awaiting a verdict before the President.

There has been much hue and cry over the awarding of a death sentence. The debate whether to do away with it or not continues to exist.

While the NGOs term it as brutal, lawmakers however say that it is essential, especially due to the growth of terrorism in the country.

The last person to be executed in India was Dhananjoy Chatterjee from West Bengal who was found guilty of the rape and murder of a minor girl.

The latest death sentence, which made the news, was the one awarded to Afzal Guru in the Parliament attack case.

His mercy petition is still pending before the President. In all there are 50 mercy petitions pending before the President.

Among the death row convicts in the country, the maximum numbers are from Uttar Pradesh. Even now there are 245 persons on death row who continue to languish in the jails in UP.

Bihar comes second with 198 persons. Maharashtra and Karnataka follow suit with 97 and 14 respectively.

The argument by Amnesty International is that the concept of death sentence could be done away with as there is a need to have a more reformative approach.

They say 86 countries have abolished death sentences completely. Eleven countries have abolished capital punishment for ordinary crimes. In these countries, death penalty is awarded in exceptional crimes such as crimes under military law or crimes committed in exceptional circumstances.

The last days:

It is a well known fact that the last days of a death row convict are considered to be the worst.

Solitary confinement for one is the most torturous.

On arrival in the jail, the jailor takes away all his belongings and provides him with separate clothing.

The jail manual says that once in solitary confinement, there are three warders posted outside the cell of a death convict who will keep a permanent watch.

The convict is permitted to exercise in the mornings and will also be permitted to read books and write letters.

His family members will be allowed to visit him once a week under the supervision of the jailor.

The convict could also request for cigarettes, snuff and tea which has to be provided to him as per the jail manual.

Even in the case of a lady convict, the rules remain the same. However, if the convict is pregnant then the jurisdictional high court will have to be moved, which in turn could postpone the execution until the baby is born.

The newborn will be handed over to the next of kin.

A day before the execution, the convict is served his favourite food and is asked to make a last wish.

The execution has to be conducted before sunrise and two hours before the execution, the convict will have to take a bath and is provided with new clothes.

Once the execution is complete, the family could claim the body but they will not be permitted to conduct the last rites in public.

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Vicky Nanjappa in Delhi
 
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