On July 30, a sizeable crowd was present to pay their last respects to convicted terrorist Yakub Memon, who was hanged for his involvement in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts where 257 people lost their lives.
According to a report published by a leading daily, the diktat of Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel may have been behind the huge turn-up at Yakub Memon's funeral procession. The daily quoted its source in the Mumbai police as saying that underworld don Dawood and Shakeel called up several of their associates in Mumbai and asked them to attend the funeral. Dawood along with Tiger Memon are the masterminds behind the infamous blasts which rocked Mumbai in 1993. Indian government and law enforcement agencies have been unable to bring them back so far.
Incidentally, just a day after the hanging, Chhota Shakeel called up a newspaper office and accused the government of committing a legal murder. He also accused the government of betraying Yakub Memon.
According to Shakeel, India's 'betrayal' has effectively ended all possibility of Dawood Ibrahim returning to India. "Dawood bhai would have met the same fate if he would have come at that time... it is clear now," said Shakeel.
However, Muslim community members believe the huge footfall in Yakoob's last procession was primarily driven by curiosity factor of people who have never seen him before. Also, they thronged in large number to attend last rites of a person who belonged to their religion.
There are conflicting reports of the exact footfall in Yakub's funeral procession and numbers vary from 5,000 to 15,000. But Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy created furore by saying that all those who attended except close family and friends should be tracked as there may be 'potential terrorists' in the crowd. This new revelation is only going to reignite the debate about the nature of individuals who attended he funeral.
