Dilsukhnagar Blast Convicts Death Sentences Confirmed by Telangana High Court

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has upheld the death sentences for five men convicted in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar twin bomb blasts case. On Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the court dismissed the petitions filed by the convicts, confirming their punishment. The five men, Yasin Bhatkal, Zia-ur-Rehman (also known as Waqas), Asadullah Akhtar (Haddi), Tehseen Akhtar, and Aizaz Shaikh, were sentenced to death in December 2016 for their involvement in the deadly attacks that killed 18 people and injured 131 others.

The bombings took place on February 21, 2013, in Dilsukhnagar, a busy market area in Hyderabad. The blasts occurred near a bus stop and near the A-1 Mirchi Centre, both in the Dilsukhnagar area. Tragically, among the victims was an unborn child.

After the attacks, the Ministry of Home Affairs handed over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA arrested key operatives of the Indian Mujahideen, including Yasin Bhatkal and Asadullah Akhtar in August 2013 near the Indo-Nepal border. In March 2014, Tehseen Akhtar and Pakistani national Zia-ur-Rehman were arrested by Delhi Police in Rajasthan. Aizaz Shaikh, a resident of Pune, was also arrested for his involvement in the conspiracy.

The five men were found guilty of planning and executing the blasts, which caused widespread panic and loss of life. The court’s decision to uphold the death sentences marks a significant step in the legal process for this tragic terrorist attack.