'A life of service is best punishment for Kasab'

Kia Scherr, 54, who lost her husband and 13-year-old daughter in the 26/11 attacks in 2008 at the Trident believes that life imprisonment will be a more suiting punishment for Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the attack.

Kia Scherr, 54, who lost her husband and 13-year-old daughter in the 26/11 attacks in 2008 at the Trident believes that life imprisonment will be a more suiting punishment for Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of the attack.

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“A life where he is made to serve the people of India would be a more difficult and appropriate punishment for Kasab than death,” said Scherr, at the Indo-American Centre, Fort, on Thursday, the eve of the second anniversary of the attacks.

Scherr is in the city to start the Mumbai chapter of One Life Alliance, a trust established to spread the message of unity in diversity and the value of life.

Through the trust, which was founded in the US on her husband and daughter’s first death anniversary, Kia wants to equip the youth in countries such as India, Pakistan and Afghanistan with communication, conflict resolution and meditation skills.

“We need the next generation of leaders to understand the message of peace and compassion,” she added.

She will live in Mumbai for a year to work with educators, business leaders and members of the government and conduct training sessions with them about the value of life.

“I received overwhelming support from people around the world after the tragedy and I chose not to use hatred and revenge but love and compassion to deal with my loss,” she said.

Alan Scherr, Kia’s husband, was a member of Synchronicity Foundation, a group that teaches meditation in the US and was in India for a meditation retreat at the Trident. Four other members of the foundation were injured during the attack and have joined hands with Kia in her mission.