Aryodaya Society in Khokhra ward falling in Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s Maningar constituency was among the first to celebrate the news.

The day began with bursting crackers in its common plot and distribution of sweets.

Also, Muslim residents of Shahpur and nearby areas gathered at the Indulal Yagnik statue at the eastern end of Nehru Bridge at 12 noon to celebrate the hanging.

BJP leaders Kamlesh Patel and Mukesh Patel participated in the celebration led by social worker Harshad Patel.

“We celebrated Diwali today but the government owes an explanation to the people for delaying the execution and it must apologise to the people for spending millions of rupees on him (Kasab),” Harshad Patel said.

Shahpur MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh, who led the celebration at Nehru Bridge later, said the Kasab’s execution was a “slap on the face of Pakistan”, which showed that rule of law prevailed in India and at the same time, people like Kasab were given a chance of being heard.

“There was no haste shown in the hanging of Kasab,” he said.