Delhi court has issued Black Warrant also called death warrant to the Tihar Jail authorities for hanging of four convicts in Nirbhaya rape and murder case. Black Warrant is a form that the trial court signs and sends to the jail officer. It is technically titled in the Code of Criminal Procedures (CrPC) as Warrant of Execution of a Sentence of Death and listed as Form Number 42.
The time of hanging has been fixed at 7 am on January 22. The executive part of the death warrant reads, to be hanged by the neck until he be dead.
Hanging ropes are ready, reports suggest and are with the Tihar Jail authorities. The hanging rope was manufactured by Buxar Central Jail in Bihar.
The Buxar jail holds the monopoly in making rope for the execution of death row convicts. It supplied the noose for Nathuram Godse, who was hanged in November 1949, for assassinating Mahatma Gandhi in January 1948. Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, 1993 bomb blast convict Yakub Memon and 26/11 Mumbai terror attack convict Ajmal Kasab, all were hanged by ropes made in Buxar jail in Bihar.
There is a little history to this unique monopoly of the Buxar jail. It was established by British rulers in 1880 -- 16 years after the East India Company established full control over the region extending from Bengal to Uttar Pradesh at the Battle of Buxar. Four years later, that is, in 1884, the British brought a machine in the Buxar jail to manufacture hanging rope.
Previously, the hanging rope was imported from Manila, the capital of the Philippines; hence the name Manila Rope is popular for this grade of noose. Later, the India Factories Act gave Buxar jail the exclusive right to make the hanging rope. Others were prohibited.
Hanging rope is different from other ropes. It is soft yet very strong. Climate and availability of water near jail are said to have played a key role in the British decision to give Buxar jail the exclusive right.
Buxar jail is situated on the bank of River Ganga and also has a well, which is not a common feature even today among Indian jails. This (absence of a well) was perhaps to prevent convicts committing suicide by jumping into the well. This was a common occurrence in cases of suicide in India when the British colonised the country.
Also Read: Delhi Court issues death warrant to Nirbhaya's Rapists; to be hanged on January 22
A particular type of yarn, called J-34 is used for making hanging rope in Buxar jail. The cotton for this yarn is being cultivated in Punjab, which supplies the raw materials to Buxar jail. Now, raw cotton is not supplied to the jail. Suppliers provide processed yarn for rope making.
There is a specific formula for making the hanging rope. It is overseen by employees designated for the purpose.
The Buxar jail has four to five posts for such employees. They train inmates for rope making. Usually, senior inmates typically those serving life sentences are employed in making hanging ropes. Care is taken in not employing death row convicts for this work. They are anyway not employed in any factory work in jail.
J-34 fibres are braided into yarns, 154 such yarns are woven to prepare 154 braids. Six such braids are used to make rope. A lot of water is used at every stage to make sure that hanging rope is soft.
The rule of execution says that the hanging rope has to cause death of the condemned person but cannot inflict any injury on the neck. It is ascertained in the post-portem of the body.
Hanging rope made in Buxar jail can be reused for more than one executions but it does not become possible as India hangs very few, despite courts regularly awarding death sentences. Only four convicts have been hanged in the last 20 years. And, Manila Rope rots.