Varanasi serial blasts: Terrorist Waliullah Khan sentenced to death after 16 years

Ghaziabad: Sixteen years after a serial bomb blast that rocked the city of Varanasi, serial blast convict and mastermind of the attacks, Waliullah Khan was sentenced to death by the District and Sessions Court.

Sixteen people were killed and 76 were seriously injured in these blasts in Varanasi.

Waliullah was sentenced to death by District and Sessions Judge Jitendra Kumar Sinha, at around 3 pm on Monday.

Besides the death sentence, he has also been convicted with life imprisonment and fine under other Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The District Judge's chamber was packed to hear the verdict and Waliullah appeared completely nervous during the hearing.

In view of the security, a bomb disposal squad was also deployed along with the security force in the district court premises. Metal detectors were installed at the entrance gates so that no suspicious person could enter inside carrying any kind of weapon.

The court sentenced Waliullah to capital punishment and a penalty of Rs 50,000 under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (murder). It sentenced the main accused to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and penalty of Rs 30,000 under section 307 of IPC (attempt to murder).

He has been sentenced to additional 7 years rigorous imprisonment under section 326 of the IPC (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means). He has also been sentenced to 2 years rigorous imprisonment under section 324 of the IPC (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means).

In addition to this Waliullah has been sentenced under various sections of the Explosives Act as well. Under section 6 of the Explosives Act he has been sentenced to life term and a penalty of Rs 50,000. Similarly, under section 5 of the same act he has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and penalty of Rs 30,000 and a similar term and penalty under section 4.

He has also been sentenced to rigorous life term and a penalty of Rs 50,000 under sections 16 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which pertains to an act of terror.

As a large number of people turned up at the court to hear the judgement tight security arrangements were made and even the bomb disposal squad was deployed.

It may be noted that the temple town of Varanasi was ripped by twin blasts at Sankat Mochan Temple and Cantt railway station within a span of 15 minutes on March 7, 2006. More than two dozen people were killed and over 100 injured in the twin blasts.

After the twin blasts the security agencies recovered bombs at nearly half-a-dozen places, including Dashashwamedha Ghat, where a cooker bomb was found. Three different FIRs were lodged in Varanasi in this connection. On the tip of an informer the police teams were constituted to arrest the five terrorists, which apprehended Waliullah in Gosaiganj area in Lucknow.

On the identification of Waliullah, a resident of Phoolpur in Prayagraj, the police recovered an AK-47 along with RDX. Waliullah's aide Maulana Zubair was gunned down by the security forces on the Line of Control (LoC) during an encounter the very next day on March 8. Three other terrorists, who were said to be Bangladeshi citizens, are still at large.

Lawyers in Varanasi refused to represent Waliullah in the court after which the High Court transferred the case to Ghaziabad court. Waliullah, who was lodged in Dasna jail, was brought to the court amid tight security arrangements.

Prosecution lawyer Rajesh Chandra Sharma said that Waliullah has been held guilty in four out of six cases. He said that The court has treated the serious blasts in Varanasi as a terrorist incident. He said that 47 witnesses appeared before the court, on the basis of which the main accused has been sentenced.

The temple town was rocked by the bomb blasts on March 7, 2006, which took place at Sankat Mochan temple and the cantonment railway station in Varanasi, killing 16 people and leaving 76 injured.

After the blast, the security agencies had recovered about half a dozen bombs from different areas. The agency had got the cooker bomb from Dashashwamedh Ghat.

Cases was registered by Varanasi Lanka police station, Dashashwamedh Ghat police station and at cantonment railway by GRP Banaras.

Based on information, police formed a team to nab the five terrorists. The team had arrested Waliullah from Gosai Ganj police station area in Lucknow.

An AK-47 gun and RDX were recovered from the spot of Waliullah, who lived in the village of Phulpur, Allahabad. Waliullah's accomplice Maulana Zubair was killed in an encounter with security forces along the LoC the next year after the blasts.

The remaining three terrorists have not been identified till date. The court, on June 4, had convicted Waliullah and pronounced the sentence on June 6.

Lawyers in Varanasi had refused to represent Waliullah. The High Court transferred the trial to the Ghaziabad Court. Waliullah, who was lodged in Dasna Jail, was brought to the Ghaziabad Court, where the court found him guilty of murder, indulging in terrorist activities, unlawful activities, under the Explosives Act and sentenced him to death, life imprisonment and fine.

Prosecution advocate Rajesh Chandra Sharma said that Waliullah was convicted in four of the six cases. The court has treated the bomb blast in Varanasi as a terrorist incident. Forty-seven witnesses testified to the terrorist incident. on the basis of which the sentence was awarded. (UNI)