The Man Who 'Shot' Kasab

The Man Who ‘shot’ Kasab 

December 7, 2014 

Photojournalist Sebastian D'Souza risked his life to capture Ajmal Kasab and Anu Ismail in action during the November 26 attacks in Mumbai 2008. His iconic picture of Kasab mid step, wielding an AK-47 was carried by press around the world. 


LISA ANN MONTEIRO

Before the police, the ambulance, and even reporters reach the scene of a crime, it is often the news photographers who arrive, quickly assess the situation and tactfully go about their job, many times risking it all.

Sebastian D’Souza, photographer and photo editor at Mumbai Mirror found himself in a precarious situation when he arrived at CST station on the evening of November 26, 2008 when terrorists descended on the city of Mumbai. He was lucky enough to enter the station just before it was cordoned off. He heard faint gun shots and followed the sound to see where it was coming from.

Assistant Sub inspector GRP, Sudam Pandarkar and Constable Ambadas Pawar were hiding at the exit of Platform No 6. D’Souza captures Pandarkar in action as he fires at Ajmal Kasab, but misses.

Alerted, Kasab fires back to the corner and when Pandarkar ducks, a book stall owner who very unperturbedly was shutting shop, was struck.

With years of experience behind him in covering the worst of riots, bomb blasts and gang wars in the country, D’- Souza realised they were standing at a dangerous position and should the terrorists turn a corner, they would be finished.

He advised the two cops to enter a train compartment instead from where they would be in a better position to follow the movements of the terrorists.

“They didn't listen and there was a voice from inside that told me to run and not look back,” D’Souza says.

What he predicted happened. The attackers shot at the two cops. Pandarkar survived as the bullet went through and through his shoulder. Pawar on the other hand wasn’t as lucky. On seeing the book stall owner still struggling for life, one of the terrorists returned to put yet another bullet into his head.

D’Souza entered the train compartment and it was from there with his Nikon D 200 that he shot Kasab in action. Only later would he realize that he had exclusive pictures of Kasab and Ismail.

When he reached the spot where Railway police inspector Shashank Shinde was shot, he would see that he was still alive. “ I wanted to take the gun from his pocket and shoot at the terrorists but it was only a revolver and I would have to be very close to them to shoot,” he says.

He recalls the gory scene with all details, as if it happened yesterday. “ The terrorists were in no hurry. They were walking and not running. They was no spray of bullets. Kasab shot from the waist and each shot was a sure shot.

The cops on the other hand were jittery, unprepared and ill- equipped.” He also recalls Kasab not opening fire on a bystander and a tribal woman who nonchalantly strolled past him Once D’Souza saw that the terrorists were out of sight, he came out and continued taking pictures. The cops and public followed his lead and came out of hiding and began moving the bodies and clearing the station of the bloodshed. In all 58 people were killed with over a hundred injured.

D’Souza rushed back to office to download the pictures before he set out on duty again. His phone was switched off the entire night as his wife Rosy tried unsuccessfully to call him. “ When he called up the next morning, he was puzzled and said he had been receiving calls with people congratulating him and he couldn’t figure why. I then told him that his pictures were exclusive and were all over the news,” Rosy says.

D’Souza shared the photographs with the news agency Associated Press after which they went viral internationally. Everyone except him, he says made money from the photographs. One official from the Railways approached him for the photos and ended up selling them to a tabloid for lakhs of Rupees.

His photographs that evening won him the prestigious ‘ Honorable Mention in the Category Spot News Stories at the 52nd World Press Photo Contest’. Ask him about his feat and he says he admits it wasn’t an evening he has favourable memories of. “ It wasn’t a joyful event. It was just killing and killing,” he says.

The international media he says have been more appreciative of his efforts.

The Maharashtra government he says has done nothing for him and he was still struggling to live on rent in Mumbai until recently, before he packed his bags and decided to stay in Goa. “ I was allotted a flat by the government but it turned out to be under dispute. It is in complete disarray today and I haven’t got possession of it yet.” D’Souza shared the 100 odd pictures he had taken that night and this helped the government’s case against Kasab when he faced trial. The real commendation for his work came from the Supreme Court who praised him for his daring that night.

Before his stint with Mumbai Mirror, D’Souza worked for Agence France- Presse capturing riots, bomb blasts and crime throughout the country.

His images of the burnt Godhra train and the riots that followed also became iconic. The one of Ashok Mochi donning a saffron band and rod in hand became popular. Allegations surfaced that it was a posed photograph. “ Does anyone pose during a riot,” D’Souza questions.

He has picked up valuable lessons from his thirty years of experience.

“In a riot you don’t just take out your camera and shoot. You assess the situation; talk to the rioters and when they calm down you begin to shoot.

It’s common sense- either you get it right or they stab you.” News photographers he says take the maximum risk and but receive the least respect. “ At least give them proper equipment. Otherwise they will just work for the sake of working.” Exclusiveness is over for photographers today, he says. “ Before you reach the spot someone will have already captured the image on their mobile phone. You will always be late.” A self taught photographer, D’Souza designed pages, shot table tops, created ceramic items and designed story boards before he got into photojournalism.

Today he is settled down in Goa and although retired hardly rests, as he prepares to set up his photo studio cum store with religious pictures all designed by him. Review Bureau

link: http://epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=9727&boxid=175938281&uid=&dat=12/07/2014