MUMBAI: The Mumbai police will prevent people from carrying pens to the court during the trial hearing of Ajmal Qasab, the lone surviving terrorist involved in Mumbai attacks.
According to a senior police officer pen guns have been used during the last few years as a weapon to commit murder. Two years ago, Mumbai police seized a similar weapon from one of the members of the notorious underworld gang led by Fahim Machmach, the police officer said.
Last year, the Mumbai police seized 60 pen guns from a businessman with links to another notorious underworld don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar.
If the police impose the ban on carrying pens and writing pads inside the court, then every reporter will have to be provided pencil and paper by the police to write down the court proceedings.
Another police officer said there is a possibility that terrorist outfits from Pakistan may try to kill Qasab, and if they succeed, it would badly damage the credibility of Mumbai police.
Since the trial of Qasab would be held inside the high-security Arthur Road prison in Mumbai, separate security arrangements have been made.
Meanwhile, the four-day budget session of the Maharashtra government began in Mumbai yesterday. The opposition parties boycotted the customary tea party function hosted by state Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Sunday evening.
