IN death, Muammar Qadhafi was denied glory — he did not go down fighting. Captured wounded, Libya's undisputed ruler for 42 years died after he reportedly shouted, “Don't shoot!” That he was alive when captured near Sirte on Thursday was confirmed by the National Transitional Council, which announced “to the world that Col Qadhafi has died in the custody of the revolution”. The announcement doesn't make clear whether he succumbed to his wounds or was killed by his captors. Very aptly did Amnesty International and the UN rights chief demand a probe into his death — something that no government has bothered to give a thought to. AI said that it was essential to conduct “a full, independent and impartial inquiry to establish the circumstances of Col Qadhafi's death”. With the fall of Tripoli in August to the rebels, who had already overrun Benghazi and other major Libyan cities, the collapse of the Qadhafi structure was a matter of time. With Nato providing its awesome firepower to the rebels, pro-Qadhafi forces had little chance of victory. What surprised the world was the tenacious fight put up by Qadhafi loyalists and the eight bloody months it took for the West-supported rebels to crush the last remaining pockets of resistance. However, by killing Col Qadhafi, the rebels denied the world his version of history before a court.

Col Qadhafi's fate is typical of many a populist hero-turned-tyrant. First among the Arab putschists to succeed in acquiring a majority share of revenues from oil production, the Libyan leader rode on a wave of popularity in his country. His achievements included the use of Libya's oil wealth to develop a social welfare state that raised the standard of living of his people and provided free healthcare and education. However, his 'Green Book' containing his political philosophy had little room for dissent. He persecuted those who differed with him, forcing opposition leaders to go underground. Those who chose to go abroad were taken care of by assassins. His Lockerbie crime shocked the world. After denying culpability for years the Libyan strongman handed over two of his intelligence chiefs for trial.

Unlike Ben Ali and Hosni Mubarak, Col Qadhafi met a violent death, but not before thousands of Libyans had been killed, and the country devastated. This is a lesson for all dictators. Either they reform and give a share in governance to the people or get ready for consequences that the fate of Qadhafi's empire and his country's trauma highlight. This is what the transitional set-up in Libya should keep in mind, and proceed with plans to usher in a representative democratic government.