After the hanging was announced on TV, there was a rush of people including mediapersons at the main gate of the prison. On Thursday, the scene outside the gate reverted to that of any other day, barring additional security.

On Wednesday when news of Kasab having been hanged broke a few minutes after 7.30 am, mediapersons who started gathering outside the main gate noticed the usual scene of visitors queuing up to meet inmates as any other day.

“There was no point in changing the jail routine. The execution had taken place inside and was done with secrecy. Altering the routine would have created suspicion. Visitors were allowed in as per procedure. At present our recruitment for positions of jail guards is on. That too went on as usual,” said a senior jail staffer. “We had stepped up security after the execution as a precautionary measure.”

An officer with Yerawada police station said, “There was a problem of traffic moving slow on the street in front of the jail, as passersby were slowing down in front of the jail on spotting OB vans of TV channels, reporters and photographers.”

On Thursday morning the open space in front of the jail gate was filled with the usual number of visitors. “We saw on TV that Kasab was hanged here. We were to come here to meet my husband. We thought they would not allow us here today. But everything was done as usual,” said a woman who had come with her family from Saswad.