Delhi Police Home Guard adept at rope tricks; says he would love to be a hangman

'I am ready to hang Qasab'

Delhi Police Home Guard adept at rope tricks; says he would love to be a hangman

There is no dearth of people in India who would readily agree to execute Ajmal Amir Qasab.

In fact, MiD DAY found three volunteers a few days ago; but expressing a desire is one thing and having the proper training for the job is quite another.

Enter Jitendra Singh.
A Home Guard attached to the Old Delhi Police Station, Singh is a self-proclaimed "trained" hangman. The 29-year-old, who claims that he learnt the art of hanging from his guruji, is one of the thousands of wannabes who want to implement the capital punishment awarded to Qasab.

"I can't reveal the name of my guruji," he said when MiD DAY asked him about where he learned the rope trick.
And it is not by chance that Singh has been initiated into learning tricks of the profession to execute convicts. "I always wanted to be a hangman. After picking up the tricks of the trade from my guruji, I want to start with Qasab."

To make his "burning desire" a reality, Singh has written to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Tejender Khanna to recruit him as a hangman.

"I love this job. I will hang each and every terrorist who has been awarded death sentence. But my first target will be Ajmal Amir Qasab. I don't know why they are not recruiting me. I have spoken to the Director General (Prisons) of Tihar Jail but he told me that were no vacancies," the Home Guard said.

To support his earnest desire to become a hangman, Singh showed a letter that he wrote to the President in 2004 for a post as hangman with the government of India.
"I am not sure whether the letter reached the President or not but I have got no response. Then I tried to contact DG (Prisons) but even he refused," he said.

However, the death penalty to Qasab and the virtual absence of a qualified hangman in the country has prompted Singh to renew his quest for a job in the profession that he loves.
Singh's peers described him as a "dedicated man". "He lives alone in his barrack at the police station and remains most of the time on duty," a colleague said, requesting anonymity.

The Home Guard is of the view that more than executing the punishment awarded to the Pakistani terrorist, "hanging Qasab would send out a strong message to those having evil designs on India that the country has the courage and conviction to deal with terror with an iron hand."
"I appeal to the honourable Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to consider my application in the nation's interest," he

'Weighty' issues

When executions take place, different drop distances are prescribed for prisoners based on their weight
Less than 45 kg, drop of 2.4 metres
Less than 60 kg, drop of 2.2 metres. (Qasab falls in this category)
Less than 75 kg, drop of 2.1 metres.
Less than 90 kg, drop of 1.9 metres.
90 kg onwards, drop of 1.8 metres.

added.

When MiD DAY pointed out that hangmen are paid only "peanuts", Singh said, "It is not about money or posting. I want to do it because I feel that it is the best job in the world."
When this correspondent asked him how he keeps himself in practice, Singh said that he 'hangs' dummies regularly at his brother's akhara in west Delhi.

Do you have it in you?
>>u00a0A hangman's job is reserved for men and the only qualification required is that he should be an adult, over 5 feet 4 inches tall.
>> The job demands mental strength and unwavering focus. It is not for the faint-hearted.
>> A hangman cannot have second thoughts before 'executing' his job.
-u00a0Jail manuals indicate that in the absence of a hangman, the jail superintendent has the powers to carry out a hanging.

1156 The number of convicts who are on death row in India

Rope artistes

MADHYA PRADESH: Balkrishna Valekar had expressed a desire to hang Afzal Guru who has been condemned to death for the Parliament attack. But Valekar died in 2009 at the age of 82. He had a record of 11 hangings.
NEW DELHI: Tihar Central Jail in New Delhi is also scouting for a hangman. The last hanging was in 1989. Satwant and Kehar Singh, convicted in the Indira Gandhi assassination case, were hanged by Kallu and Fakira. There are no gallows now. The number of pending death sentences is on the rise. Kallu and Fakira are not traceable after their last execution, a fact confirmed by the jail spokesperson.
UTTAR PRADESH: Kallu's son Mammu Singh worked as a hangman at Meerut Central Prison. He had hanged 10 convicts and his last execution was in 1997. In 2001, Singh was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for defaulting on loan payments. When he emerged from prison, he got back his job as hangman. Now, he too has retired. Mammu Singh's old colleague, Mohammed Ahmed who lives in Lucknow, used to be a hangman. However, he is not available now after he resolved not to hang anyone any more.
BIHAR: There is no post of a hangman in Bihar since 1995. The Bhagalpur Central Jail, where convicts are hanged, have requisitioned for a hangman.
HARYANA: The Haryana Subordinate Services Commission had also advertised for a hangman following a requisition sent by the state's Prisons Department. This was after their hangman Vijay Singh died in 2005.

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