High Court Upholds Death Penalty for IM Operatives in 2013 Hyderabad Blasts

The Telangana High Court upheld the death penalty for five Indian Mujahideen operatives, including co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, involved in the 2013 Hyderabad bomb blasts. The verdict came after a long trial and multiple appeals. One key accused remains absconding, and efforts to locate him continue.

The Telangana High Court upheld on Tuesday the death penalty for five senior operatives of the banned Indian Mujahideen, including co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, for their involvement in the 2013 Hyderabad bomb blasts. The decision reaffirmed a trial court's verdict attributing 18 deaths and 131 injuries to the terror attack.

The bench, comprising Justices K Lakshman and P Sree Sudha, dismissed the criminal revision appeals, solidifying the National Investigation Agency's case. One of the accused's lawyers announced intentions to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court.

Riyaz Bhatkal, a key accused and suspected to be in Pakistan, remains at large. The court emphasized that life imprisonment was insufficient for reformation, confirming the death penalty as the fitting punishment. The ruling elicited mixed reactions from political figures and local citizens affected by the blasts.

(With inputs from agencies.)