“My father was deeply moved by the gruesome murders and cannibalism and wanted to hang Surender Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher,” recalled Uttar Pradesh’s hangman Pawan Jallad as he referred to the acquittal of the duo in the infamous Nithari Killings as a personal loss.
The gruesome case hit headlines in December 2006 when skeletons were found in a drain near a house in Nithari village of Uttar Pradesh’s Noida. This week, the Allahabad High Court acquitted the prime accused in the case that involved the sexual assault and killing of many as 16 children and three women.
For Pawan, what hurt the most about the acquittal was his inability to fulfil the last wish of his father Mammu Jallad. Pawan, UP’s official hangman who hanged the four convicts in the Nirbhaya case in 2020 in Delhi’s Tihar Jail, told News18 that his father served the state for 47 long years and breathed his last on May 19, 2011.
Following in His Father’s Footsteps
Pawan said his father, who was confident since Day 1 that the accused in the Nithari case would be awarded a death sentence, would follow every minute detail of the case. “I still remember his words —These killers are not fit to live in society, they deserve to be hanged,” he said.
Pawan joined UP’s prison department in 2013, hoping that he would get a chance to fulfil his father’s last wish and deliver justice to the families of Nithari. Much to his surprise, within two years of his joining, he got a call from the department that he had been shortlisted to hang Surinder Koli.
Preparations to Hang Koli Started 10 Days in Advance
Pawan said as per protocol, the hangman is called 10 days before the day of execution by the jail authorities. “Overhauling of the pulley is perhaps the first task as it is not used quite often. Hence, we work on the pulley and the wooden planks (on which the convict stands) in order to ensure their proper functioning,” said Pawan.
Then comes the selection of rope, which Pawan said is provided by the jail authorities. “Selection of rope is another crucial task. Its selection is done on the basis of the body weight of the prisoner. After a rope is picked, it is treated by applying some greasy material in order to ensure smooth and quick tightening of the noose around the neck. This is done to minimise the resistance of the rope,” Pawan explained.
The final step is the rehearsal during which hanging is practised with sacks or a dummy with a weight similar to that of the prisoner in order to ensure that on the day of execution, everything goes smoothly.
Missed Opportunity
Koli, who was lodged in Dasna Jail, was to be hanged on September 12, 2015, in Meerut. “Since there were no adequate facilities in Dasna Jail, he was transferred to Meerut Jail on September 4, 2015. It may sound normal to many but being a hangman is a very crucial task. It is our responsibility to ensure that the hanging is carried out smoothly and effectively. This means it should be done in one go, with no interruption or obstruction. To carry it out perfectly, we practise much in advance from the day of execution,” said Pawan.
In Koli’s case, which was also Pawan’s first case after joining as hangman, a 10-day practice session was held. However, just three hours before his execution, Koli’s hanging was stayed by the court.
The Family Tradition
Pawan’s family members have been hangmen for the last four generations. Apart from Pawan’s father Mammu Jallad, who served UP for 47 years, his grandfather Kallu hanged the assassins of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and his great-grandfather Laxman Ram — who worked for the British — had hanged freedom fighter Bhagat Singh.
Pawan, who is a father of five daughters and earns Rs 10,000 a month as retainer, expressed his willingness to meet UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, requesting him to increase the salary that he says is too less to meet the family’s expenses. He also sought that the hangman’s job should be given the status of a government job.
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