The Memon family

Suleman Memon: Eldest brother (above), arrested, acquitted

Yusuf and Essa Memon: Two more brothers, both in jail

Their parents: Abdul Razak Memon (bailed, deceased) and Hanifa Memon (acquitted)

Rahin Memon: Yakub’s wife, arrested, acquitted

Rubina Memon: Suleman’s wife, sentenced to life

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CAUSE & EFFECT

Yakub Memon, hanged Thursday, had been found guilty of planning the 1993 Mumbai blasts that killed 257 and injured over 700. “Although he was not directly involved in planting the bombs, he stood behind from starting till the end, viz. conspiracy, planning, handling money transactions, monitoring the activities and making all the arrangements for sending certain persons to Pakistan for training in handling of arms and ammunition,” the Supreme Court had ruled.

The hangman

Yakub was hanged in Nagpur by the same constable from Yerwada jail who carried out the hanging of 26/11 attack convict Ajmal Kasab. The hangman, whom the government hasn’t named, had arrived at Nagpur prison a week earlier. Jail Superintendent of Yerwada, Yogesh Desai, who led the team during Kasab’s hanging, was transferred to Nagpur prison a few months ago, reports PTI.

Precedents

Yakub Memon became the first convict in 31 years to be hanged to death in Nagpur jail and the fourth in the country in the last 10 years. The last convicts to be hanged in the Nagpur jail were the Wankhede brothers from Amravati in 1984, for murder. The last three executions in India were of Mohammed Afzal Guru (2001 Parliament attack) in Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013, Ajmal Kasab (26/11) in Pune on November 21, 2012, and Dhananjoy Chatterjee (rape and murder) in Kolkata on August 14 , 2004.

Judges’ security

The security of the three Supreme Court judges who dismissed the petition to stay Yakub Memon’s death warrant leading to his execution this morning has been beefed up as a precautionary measure. “Security of justices Dipak Misra, Prafulla Chandra Pant and Amitava Roy has been increased. It is a precautionary step,” PTI quoted a Home Ministry official. The number of police personnel at their homes has been increased besides increase in patrolling by Delhi Police around their vicinity.