In a significant development, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday upheld the death penalties awarded to five individuals convicted in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar twin bomb blasts that claimed 18 lives and injured over 130 others.

The Court dismissed the appeals filed by the convicts and affirmed the verdict of the special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court, which had sentenced Yasin Bhatkal, Zia-ur-Rehman alias Waqas, Asadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, Tehseen Akhtar, and Aizaz Shaikh to death for their roles in the deadly attack.

The twin explosions rocked the bustling Dilsukhnagar market in Hyderabad on February 21, 2013. The first blast occurred near a bus stop in the Malakpet police jurisdiction, followed moments later by a second explosion near the A-1 Mirchi Centre under the Saroornagar police station limits. Among the casualties was an unborn child, adding to the tragedy's gravity.

Following the attack, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred the case to the NIA. The agency's investigation led to the arrest of key Indian Mujahideen operatives. In August 2013, Yasin Bhatkal and Asadullah Akhtar were apprehended at the Indo-Nepal border. In March 2014, Tehseen Akhtar and Pakistani national Zia-ur-Rehman were arrested by Delhi Police in Rajasthan. Aizaz Shaikh, hailing from Pune, was also taken into custody for his role in the conspiracy.

The Court's decision marks a crucial step toward justice in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Hyderabad’s recent history.