'93 Mumbai blasts: No victory for victims until Dawood brought down

Dawood Ibrahim

Vindication is still far away for victims of the 1993 Mumbai blasts, who will remain dissatisfied with the verdict in the case until its mastermind, underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, is brought to justice.

Kandivli resident and former stock broker Kirti Ajmera, who was left with a cracked ribcage and glass shards in his body in the blast at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), told mid-day, "This is not even half a victory. Where is Dawood Ibrahim? Why hasn't the government brought him back, when he is said to be the mastermind of the blasts that killed so many?"

"The court has pronounced these six people guilty, but we still have to wait to see what punishment is given to them. I cannot understand why has taken so much time. It has been 24 years since the blasts took place and I was left injured. I demand capital punishment for those found guilty and request the government to bring Dawood here and punish him. It is not as if they do not know where he is; if they cannot bring him here, they should do what the US did to Osama Bin Laden," Ajmera added.

Another victim, Worli resident Kamla Malkani, who was hurt in the blasts at Century Bazar said, "We are not even close to being satisfied in getting justice. Where is Dawood, why has the government not been able reach him? It has been so many years since the blasts took place. Dawood is still roaming free and the government has not even attended to the demands of us victims."

Ghatkopar resident, Sachin Karmalkar who was also left severely injured when the bomb went off at BSE said, "Until Dawood is not punished, the victims of the blasts would not get justice. He was said to be the mastermind and should have been brought back to the country by now. Those found guilty by the court today should not be given any further time and must face punishment as soon as possible."