Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com reporting from Mahim.

In Mahim, where the family of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict, Yakub Memom still stays, the mood is sombre and angry.


Last evening as the Supreme Court dismissed Yakub's plea, rejecting his argument that correct procedure was not followed in his case, police bandobast was stepped up in sensitive spots in Mumbai, especially in  Mahim.


This morning, outside the Al Hussaini building (Yellow building in the picture) the entire area was barricaded and hundreds of police personnel manned the streets, with PCR vans and contingents from the Rapid Action Force everywhere. '

Mumbai Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria arrived at 9:45 am and said, "I'm here to look into the bandobast, not to talk to the press."


Residents speaking to this reporter told him not to take pictures. "If you want pictures of the building, why don't you Google it?," a man said.
Talking about Yakub Memon, another resident said, "The messiah has gone. He is the man who fought for Muslims and look what they have done to him! He is an innocent man punished by Rajnath Singh [Union Home Minister]. He had the chance to save him, but he intentionally hanged him. President Pranab Mukherjee did not want him to hang, but the government  insisted that Yakub should hang."

 
People, both men and women, stood in several large groups, near and around the Al Hussaini building. Many of them said they were waiting for Yakub's body to arrive in Mumbai from Nagpur so that they could be part of the janazaa (wake).

While there are no incidents of violence, the police are not taking any chances. The entire area has been barricaded with hundreds of policemen in bulletproof vests stations all around. The Billabong school near Yakub's home, and all the shops around the Makhdoom Ali Mahimi dargah are closed today.


Picture: The Al Hussaini building (tall building, top right of the frame) in Mahim. Courtesy: Syed Firdaus Ashraf.