Five Azamgarh residents given death sentence

AZAMGARH: Five of the 38 convicts, including mastermind

Abu Bashar Shaikh

, who were sentenced to death by a Gujarat special court for their role in the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts were residents of UP’s Azamgarh.


Residents of Muslimdominated Sarai Meer area, which was dubbed a ‘terror hub’ after the 2008 Batla House encounter and Gujarat bombings, were too shocked to speak, but some confirmed to TOI they would move a higher court. The only silver lining for Azamgarh was the acquittal of three residents — Mohammad Habib
Falahi, Mohammad Saqib and

Mohammad Zakir

— in the case.

Sanjarpur resident

Tariq

said, “We respect the verdict but we are contemplating moving the HC. ” Another resident,

Mohammad Yasir

, said family members of the convicts are tight-lipped. “We will move the HC against the order,” he said.