This file photo taken on August 26, 2007 shows the site of a bomb blast at the Gokul Chat eatery in Hyderabad. AFP

Two get capital punishment; life term for one in 2007 Hyderabad blasts

HYDERABAD: Two militants, accused of triggering powerful blasts in Hyderabad that left 44 dead and scores wounded, were sentenced to death by hanging by a local court on Monday, while a third will spend his life in prison.MD Akbar Ismail Chowdhari and Aneeq Shafique Sayeed were given the capital punishment, while third convict Tariq Anjum was awarded life sentence.The trio on August 25, 2007 triggered two simultaneous bomb blasts in Lumbini Park and Gokul chat centre, two of the most crowded places in the city, where 68 people were also wounded.The court pronounced the quantum of punishment against the three convicts after a marathon trial that saw many witnesses giving evidence against the accused.Earlier, Tariq Anjum, the third accused in the twin blasts of Hyderabad, was convicted by a special court in Gokul-Lumbini twin blast case on Monday.Anjum was accused of providing a “safe house” to other accused, including IM founding member Riyaz Bhatkal in Delhi, following the twin blasts on August 25, 2007.The Counter Intelligence Cell, which is the investigating agency, had filed a separate case against Anjum. Last week, a local court convicted MD Akbar Ismail Chowdhari and Aneeq Shafique Sayeed, for setting off bombs in Lumbini park and Gokul chat centre.As news of the sentencing spread, many locals said their long wait for justice had finally ended.“That fateful day, I was supposed to be in Lumbini park with my kids and had turned my car away due to last minute change of plans,” said Satya Prasad, a local businessman.Earlier, the court had acquitted two accused - Farooq Sharfuddin Tarqash and MD Sadiq Israr Shaik - saying there was no enough evidence to link them in the case.In the twin terror blasts case, seven persons were named as accused out of which three, including Indian Mujahideen founder Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Amir Reza Khan, are absconding.Both Amir Reza Khan and Riyaz Bhatkal are accused in the 2001 American Centre attack in Kolkata also.The investigating agencies have filed three different chargesheets in connection with the Hyderabad twin blast cases.The verdict was given in a special court set up inside Cherlapally Jail where all the accused where produced before T Srinivasa Rao, who is in-charge judge of II Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court.Relatives of blast victims always demanded capital punishment for the accused. During the court proceedings, lawyers for the prosecution said Aneeq planted bombs at Lumbini Park while Riyaz Bhatkal planned and executed the Gokul chat blast. One bomb which did not exploded was set up by Ismail Chowdhari.