Ajmal Kasab: The only terrorist of 26/11 Mumbai attack who was caught alive

Mumbai: Seven years ago, 10 militants took a boat to enter Mumbai and launched a series of attacks in the city including Taj Hotel Palace, Oberoi Trident, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, Nariman House Jewish community centre and others. Today, several mysteries still remain unanswered about the attacks that killed 166 people and injured 300 others.Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was among 10 terrorists who launched the deadly attack in the port city of Maharashtra. While Kasab was nabbed alive, his other associates were gunned down by security forces in different places which the terrorists had targeted during those harrowing 60-hours.Here we are unfolding the Kasab story:Kasab, a Pakistani militant and a member of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group, was born on 13 July, 1987 in Faridkot village in the Okara District of Punjab, Pakistan, to Amir Shahban Kasab and Noor Illahi.His father used to run a snack cart while his elder brother, Afzal, was a labourer in Lahore. Initially, Kasab moved to Lahore and joined his brother. It was in 2005, when Kasab left home after a fight with his father. He had demanded new clothes on Eid but his father could not provide him the same. In December 2007, Kasab and his friends in Rawalpindi encountered members of Jama'at-ud-Da'wah, the political wing of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Kasab decided to sign up for training with the Lashkar-e-Taiba, ending up at their base camp, Markaz Taiba.Reports say that Kasab was among a group of 24 men who received training in marine warfare at a remote camp in mountainous Muzaffarabad.He was seen on CCTV during his attacks at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus along with another recruit Abu Dera Ismail Khan. The duo then moved on to attack a police vehicle at Cama Hospital. They took two Mumbai Police constables hostage in a vehicle and drove towards the Metro Cinema where they opened firing on a crowd. Later, they drove to Vidhan Bhavan where they fired more shots.Their vehicle had a tire puncture. They took a silver Skoda Laura and drove towards Girgaum Chowpatty. The DB Marg police was immediately informed about the incident. It was about 10 when Kasab and his companion reached Chowpatty. They stopped 50 feet from the barricade. When they were taking a U-turn, Mumbai Police opened fire in which Khan was killed and Kasab was nabbed alive.During the interrogation in the hospital by the police, Kasab had pleaded the interrogators to kill him for the safety of his family in Pakistan. "Now, I do not want to live,” he had said.Mumbai Police stated that Kasab spoke rough Hindi and no English.Kasab is also quoted as saying, "I have done right, I have no regrets."According to investigations, the attackers travelled by sea from Karachi across the Arabian Sea and hijacked the Indian fishing trawler 'Kuber', killing the crew of four and forcing the captain to sail to Mumbai.On 25 February 2009, police filed an 11,000-page chargesheet in which Kasab was charged with murder, conspiracy and waging war against India. The trial began on 6 May 2009. He initially pleaded not guilty, but later admitted his guilt on 20 July 2009. He initially apologised for the attacks and claimed that he deserved the death penalty. He, however, later retracted these claims, saying that he had been tortured by police to force his confession.On 3 May 2010, Kasab was convicted of all 86 charges. He was found guilty of murder for killing seven people, conspiracy to commit murder of the 164 people, waging war against India, causing terror and of conspiracy to murder two high-ranking police officers.On 6 May 2010, he was sentenced to death. Kasab appealed his sentence in the High Court. On 21 February 2011, the Bombay High Court upheld the death sentence awarded to Kasab. On 29 August 2012, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence for Kasab.Kasab filed a mercy petition with the President of India, which was rejected on 5 November 2012. Kasab was hanged in Pune's Yerwada jail on 21 November 2012 at 7:30 am. The Indian mission in Islamabad informed the Pakistan government about Kasab's hanging through letter. Pakistan refused to take the letter, which was then faxed to them. His family in Pakistan was sent news of his hanging via a courier.