India shouldn't abolish death penalty: Ex Justice

New Delhi, Aug 1: The former Chief Justice of India and the NHRC chairperson K G Balakrishnan had stated that death penalty should continue in India as various types of crimes are on rise in the country.

Amid continuing debate over whether death penalty should be abolished in India, Balakrishnan noted that the capital punishment is awarded in the "rarest of rare" cases and there are adequate safeguards provided in the law in this regard.

"In India, different types of crimes are on increase. The death penalty will have a deterrent effect on the people," said Balakrishnan.

The remarks also assume significance as the government is still considering whether or not to execute the death penalty awarded to Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

In India, death sentence was last carried out in 2004 when one Dhananjay Chatterjee was hanged for rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl in Kolkata.

"If you analyze (the cases), many of those who were given death penalty really deserved it in the cases imposed (on them)," emphasized the former Chief Justice.

OneIndia News