After a last-minute night-long attempt by his lawyers to stay his execution and the Supreme Court rejecting their plea, Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon was hanged to death amid high security in the Nagpur Central jail at 6.35 am on his 53rd birthday on Thursday.

From the Archives: 1993 Blasts Case: Yakub Memon's arrest, revelations reconfirm active role played by Pakistan

In a reiteration of its earlier order passed on Wednesday, the Supreme Court early on Thursday morning rejected the last ditch attempt by Memon's lawyers to stall his execution by 14 days. Memon had challenged the rejection of his mercy petition by the President. Watch: The only video interview of death row man Yakub Memon

Here are the live updates:

6:00 pm: Yakub Memon, the lone convict of 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, who was hanged early today, buried in Mumbai's Bada Kabrastan. It took nearly two hours for the cremation process to complete as a huge crowd had gathered outside the cemetery.

4:45 pm: Yakub's coffin reaches Bada Kabrastan situated in Marine Lines, south Mumbai.



4:35 pm: Yakub Memon's body being taken to Bada Kabrastan for burial.



4:05 pm: Quick Response Teams of police have been deployed at a few places, including the Al Hussaini building where the Memon family lives.



4:00 pm: Preparations are on for Namaz-e-janaza for Yakub Memon outside his house in Mahim, Mumbai.



02:52 pm: Senior BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha says he is against capital punishment but he cannot forget Mumbai blasts.



02:35 pm: Yakub to be buried in Bada Qabaristan near Charni Road area.

2.14 pm: "I am not going to answer in this particular case but I think in 21st century, capital punishment should be abolished," says Ambika Soni.



2.03 pm: Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria reaches Yakub Memon's Mahim (Mumbai) residence.



1.58 pm: What he has said, does it represent the official view of the Congress party?: Ravi Shankar Prasad on Digvijaya Singh's tweets.



1.43 pm: A narrative was being built by some people to identify Yakub Memon's religion, this is unfortunate. Rule of law is supreme: Azam Khan



1.30 pm: "It is a sad day for Indian democracy and also Indian judiciary. Though they heard the matter late at night which is creditable. But the end result, to my mind was, miscarriage of justice," says Prashant Bhushan.



1.20 pm: Yakub Memon to be buried in Bada Kabristan near Charni Road area



1.05 pm: Yakub Memon's family reaches home in Mumbai with his body



12.47 pm: Mumbai Police bans photography, video recording of Yakub Memon's corpse during transportation



12.35 pm: Yakub Memon's body to be taken to Mahim at his residence for a while.

12.15 pm: Flight carryig Yakub Memon's body reaches Mumbai

10.50 am: Yakub's body might not be taken to his residence in Mumbai. Memon family is expected to take Yakub's body directly to Bada Kabristan to perform his last rites. After burial, the grave will be unmarked.

10.15 am: Nagpur Jail authorities arranged a telephonic conversation for Yakub Memon with his daughter after he expressed desire for it.



09.49 am: Yakub Memon's body handed over to the family.



8.45 am: Saddened by news that our government has hanged a human being. State-sponsored killing diminishes us all by reducing us to murderers too: Shashi Tharoor

8.30 am: Yakub's body will be taken to Mumbai by air ambulance around 1 pm.



8.20 am: Yakub's brothers Usman and Suleiman go inside Nagpur jail to collect his body.



8: 16 am: I hope similar commitment of govt and judiciary would be shown in all cases of terror irrespective of their caste creed and religion, says Digvijaya Singh Also read: The Conspiracy Unravels



8.05 am: Yakub's brother Suleiman leaves for Nagpur Jail from hotel.



7:55 am: Mumbai Police have detained 405 persons under various preventive provisions; these are people with criminal records.

7:52 am: Authorities set condition for release of Yakub's body to family:

1. Funeral has to be time-bound

2. No public procession for body

3. Photographs not to be released publicly



7:35 am: Heavy police deployment outside Hotel Dwarka where Yakub's brother Suleman is staying. He will be escorted by police to jail.



07:27 am: Body to be handed over to his family: Maharashtra Home Department.

07:25 am: Security beefed up at Yerwada Central Prison.



07:01 am: Yakub Memon declared dead officially by the medical authorities at Nagpur jail.

06:56 am: Maharashtra CM likely to make a statement on Yakub Memon in the Assembly at 11 am.



06:50 am: Judicial magistrate Girish Joshi, DIG Rajendra Dhamne, Jail CMO Tiwari, Police Superintendent Yogesh Desai and 2 constables were present inside the jail when Yakub Memon was executed.



06:35 am: 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Yakub Memon hanged to death in Nagpur Jail. Memon executed after 21 years in prision.



06:30 am: Officials who put Ajmal Kasab to death will hang Yakub in Nagpur jail.



06:25: Section 144 imposed in Nagpur city.

From the Archives: The Memons: India's most wanted family



06:23 am: Family wants to take Yakub's body.



06:06 am: Yakub Memon was quite popular at Nagpur Central. Dozens of inmates kept a fast for him during Ramzan.



05:42 am: High security outside Nagpur prison.

Security tightened outside Nagpur Central Jail. pic.twitter.com/zUpSJvtP4N ANI (@ANI_news) July 30, 2015

Yakub has been given new clothes to wear. Another half an hour to complete the process.

05:30 am: The process of execution has been started inside jail.



05:25 am: "I have exhausted legal options, I hope he has a dignified death," says Yakub Memon's lawyer.



05:16 am: If we don't want terrorism to strike steps need to be taken, says Anand Grover.



05:07 am: This is not the right decision, says Yakub Memon's lawyer Anand Grover.

This is not the right decision: Anand Grover on #YakubMemon pic.twitter.com/r1VTaYVdo7 ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2015

Yakub Memon to be hanged at 6:30 am in the Nagpur jail.

05:02 am: Yakub Memon's mercy plea rejected by the SC after an unprecedented 2:30 am hearing.



04:50: "Ample opportunity was given to Yakub Memon to present his case," says Justice Deepak Misra.

04:40: Petitioner Yakub Memon never disowned the mercy petition filed by his brother: Justice Deepak Misra

From the Archives: 1993: On The Brink



04:30: Execution warrant was communicated to Yakub Memon on 13th July '15, says Justice Deepak Misra.

04:23 am: Argument in Supreme Court over, judges are now taking decision on Yakub Memon's mercy petition.



04:20 am: Nagpur jail administration asks all staff to deposit all mobiles and gadgets.



04:19 am: They are hell bent on executing Memon this morning, responds Memon's lawyer Anand Grover.



04:18 am: The gameplan is to prolong the stay in jail for years to get the death sentence commuted, says Attorney General Rohatgi.

04:15 am: "Death warrant upheld just 10 hours ago by three judges can not be quashed," says AG.

04:05 am: Multiple mercy petitions is abuse of the system, says Attorney General.

04:03 am: 'Irrelevant if brother filed earlier plea, it was for Yakub,' says Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi in Supreme Court.



04:01 am: Attorney General says, ''President has other things to do. In this way no death warrant can be executed. I dare say, if you make representation every day how will the system work?"

03:57 am: Attorney General Rohatgi begins arguments. Says execution of Yakub was scheduled for July, while death warrant was issued in April.

From the Archives: Falling into place, finally



03:52 am: Anand Grover says 14 days should be given to meet family or to avail judicial remedies.



03:47 am: 'Not arguing on merits. Only seeking 14 days since mercy petition in Yakub's name was rejected only yesterday,' Memon's lawyer Anand Grover tells bench.



03:44 am: Anand Grover says, "judgment of SC demands that convict and family be informed of rejection. Not challenging the rejection of mercy because don't have the written copy of the order".



03:40 am: Security beefed at Yakub Memon's residence in Mumbai.



03:39 am: Cops deliver confidential letter to Yakub Memon's family in Nagpur.



03:24 am: Hearing on Yakub Memon's mercy plea begins.

From the Archives: The Conspiracy Unravels



03:23 am: Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi reaches courtroom.

03:07 am: Judges have reached their chambers in the Supreme Court. They are yet to go to the courtroom.



03:01 am: Police cars with sirens buzzing on Nagpur's roads. Cops patrolling through the night.

Security tightened at various parts of Mumbai #YakubMemon pic.twitter.com/hZcT0blIOy ANI (@ANI_news) July 29, 2015

02:48 am: Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi to argue for government against Yakub's last plea.



02:38 am: Anand Grover, Prashant Bhushan, Vrinda Grover and other eminent lawyers reaches SC, hearing to start soon.



02:35 am: Protesters outside Supreme Court are protesting against the hearing that is about to take place.



02:32 am: Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi reaches Supreme Court



02:29 am: Hearing on mercy plea to take place in Court No. 4 of the Supreme Court.

From the Archives: 1993 Blasts: The other revelations



02:19 am: Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi likely to reach Supreme Court



02:17 am: Anand Grover will also argue for Yakub



02:14 am: UNPRECEDENTED: Supreme Court being opened in middle of night for Yakub Memon hearing.



02:01 am: Matter to be heard now at 2:30 am in Supreme Court by Deepak Mishra, JA Roy and JP Pant.



01:56 am: Supreme Court to hear Yakub Memon's mercy plea at 2:15 am.



01:53 am: Security tightened outside Nagpur Central Jail.

01:35 am: Delhi Police barricades set up near Justice Deepak Mishra house at Tughlak Road.



01:27 am: Hearing likely to take place at Justice Deepak Mishra residence.

From the Archives: 1993 Mumbai blasts: The day terror reign

01:13 am: Supreme Court registrar reaches CJI's residence again.

00:41 am: CJI HL Dattu to hear the petitioners seeking 14 days time for Yakub Memon at 2 am.



00:37 am: A three judge bench could be set up overnight to hear the petition.

00:23 am: Advocates like Prashant Bhushan, Anand Grover, Yug Choudhary present at CJI's residence



11:57 pm: Supreme Court registrar leaves CJI's residence.

11:50 pm: Supreme Court registrar reaches CJI's residence.

11:29 pm: Yakub Memon's lawyer seek 14 day stay on execution .



11:17 pm: Lawyers are trying to get the plea registered in the registry at CJI's residence, will then try to mention it before CJI.



Lawyer Prashant Bhushan outside CJI's residence #YakubMemon pic.twitter.com/3yyaJnFRX2

11:14 pm: Lawyers are completing formalities at the SC registry & are trying to mention it before the CJI tonight itself.

From the Archives: Savagery in Bombay



11:11 pm: Yakub Memon files plea in SC saying President cant decide on mercy plea overnight and must consider new grounds and until then stay the execution.

Earlier in the day, the President, who acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, referred the petition to the government. Read: Yakub Memon to be hanged by same man who executed Kasab

Following this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh and top officials, including the Home Secretary met at the PM's residence, discussed the issue and decided that the President should be advised to reject the mercy petition filed today. Read: Nagpur jail gears up for Yakub Memon's execution

Hectic consultations on the issue were also held between Home Secretary and Law Secretary P K Malhotra apparently on the issue. Immediately after the cabinet meeting, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh drove straight to Rashtrapati Bhawan and apprised the President about the government's decision of rejecting. From the Archives: Yakub Memon arrest, revelations reconfirm active role played by Pakistan in Bombay blasts case

He is scheduled to be hanged on Thursday morning in the Nagpur jail after the Supreme Court dismissed his petition against the death warrant on the ground that it was issued before his curative plea was heard by the court.

Curtains down on two-decade old case

Memon and 11 others were slapped with the death penalty by the special TADA court in July 2007 for the 1993 bomb blasts in which 257 people were killed and 712 were injured. Memon, who has been in prison for more than two decades in the 1993 serial blasts case which killed 257 people, is scheduled to hang at 7 am on Thursday in the Nagpur Central jail where a heavy security arrangement has been made following the Supreme Court verdict.

Memon's wife, Rahin, has left for Nagpur jail where she hopes to meet him one last time before his execution. "I have full faith in the judiciary, I have full faith in the Almighty," Yakub's brother Suleman said after the Supreme Court verdict.

