Should Kasab get the death sentence?

The lone surviving gunman from the 26/11 massacre of hundreds in mumbai has been sentenced to death.

It was just a regular day for me. I was rather busy with work. Infact most of my attention was on the song Aaromale that was playing from my iPod. I just happened to get off my seat when I heard that the court has decided that he should be hung till his death. The discussion that a few of us had following that was mostly people agreeing that he deserves no better. There are some real concerns about the possibility of other terrorists hijacking a plane load of people demanding Kasab's release while threatening to blow up innocent people. The judge has also apparently taken note of this in deciding his punishment.

A lot of us were also wondering how long it would take before the sentence is carried out. Apparently India has not carried out such sentences too often. The Hindu today points out that no such sentence was carried out between 1995 and 2004. One person was dealt with this way in August 2004 and none since then. Clearly we are a country that does not like hanging convicts. We are also a country that is debating if capital punishment itself should go. How then can there be a nearly unanimous view that Kasab should be given this sentence? It is entirely possible that the sentence is symbolic and will never be carried out. If that is indeed the case, what are we to make of the arguments the judge stated in delivering the punishment? Are we making a point to Kasab just to highlight our outrage at his act? Is this a case of moral grandstanding?

I think it is important to take the views of the victim's families in this case. They more than all others should be involved in any decision to reduce the sentence. I guess Kasab will get to file a mercy petition with the president. I imagine the president would consult a lot of people (victim's families included hopefully) and decide what to do. The process takes forever. That normally makes sense since it allows time for additional evidence that might indicate that the convict is innocent or does not deserve the sentence to emerge.

Personally, I don't buy the "threat of terrorists holding innocents hostage for his release" argument. Kasab is a silly foot soldier. There is no need to exaggerate his value to the terrorists who sent him on his way. I just do not see them bothering to get him released. As the judge has also noted, his age is a factor to be considered as well. I'm just uncomfortable with the idea of sentencing 20 year olds to death. Many 20 year olds will do silly things if promised 72 virgins with no notion of sin attached. Not many would be willing to kill others. I guess some do. The real criminals are the ones who indulged in the indoctrination that resulted in the beast that we know as Kasab. On hearing the sentence, Kasab apparently needed some water and all he could say was "Shukriya-saab". What the hell is that supposed to mean? No down with India! No Azad Kashmir! No outburst! Nothing! Just Thank you! I cannot imagine the worst sort of criminals reacting this way. I suspect that he has been indoctrinated into doing what he did. It is so thorough that all he can say on being condemned to die is "Thank You!". I sincerely hope we get the people who sent him here. What we need to put an end to is such indoctrination. Deal with Kasab in a manner that satisfies the victim's families. Use him for the remainder of his life to investigate how someone managed to create such a cold killing machine. I strongly suspect that "religion" and promises about "after life" were part of the tricks that were employed. It would serve our societies cause well to find out how someone got Kasab to do what he did.

Maybe he's just dumb. I don't know what to do with him then.