Cop who survived Kasab''s attack says verdict on expected lines

Mumbai, Feb 21 (PTI) Police constable Arun Jadhav, theonly survivor in the police van ambushed by lone survivingPakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab and his slain accomplice AbuIsmail, today said the Bombay High Court''s judgement on thedeath penalty was on expected lines.

Jadhav, who miraculously escaped the murderous attack,in which police officers Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, VijaySalaskar were killed, said, "the entire world was exceptingdeath for Kasab, so my expectation was also not different."

However, unlike other victims who demand that Kasab mustbe hanged immediately, Jadhav said he respected the Indianjudicial system which gave equal rights to every person livingon the Indian soil, including Kasab.

"If Kasab is not happy (with the verdict) then he canfile an appeal (in the Supreme Court)", Jadhav told PTI.

However, reacting to the observation made by the trialcourt earlier that his statement was not entirely credible andhe seemed to be sentimental in giving evidence, Jadhav saidthat he had expressed his sorrow in the court.

"I was just telling the court what had happened and whatI had seen and that I saw Kasab killing my superiors."

Jadhav said that had it been any other person in hisplace he would have testified in the same way he (Jadhav) did.

"I witnessed the ambush very closely," he said.

Meanwhile, 11-year-old Devika Natwarlal, who was injuredin indiscriminate firing by Kasab at Chhatrapati ShivajiTerminus (CST) on the night of November 26, 2008 said, "I wantKasab to be hanged in full public view." .

"No other punishment other than death is acceptable to us as he has shattered our lives and happiness, Devika, who hadreceived a bullet injury, on her right leg as a result ofwhich she became handicapped, told PTI ahead of Bombay HighCourt''s verdict on Kasab and his two associates, today.

It is not only she who is the victim of the carnage butalso her brother, Devika said. "My brother helped othervictims injured in the carnage by giving them aid in hospitalsand is now bed ridden", she said today.

Her father said, "the doctors asked my 16-year-old sonJai to help the injured people and he volunteered to give aidbut he was not given any protection, not even gloves becauseof which he developed infection. Jai is now suffering fromchest tuberculosis", Natwarlal said.

"His spinal cord has gone for a toss due to this", saysNatwarlal. "I am happy that Devika�s deposition was commendedby everyone but nobody even enquired about my son", he said.

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