Afzal Guru hanged, buried in Tihar jail

Mangaloretoday/NDTV

New Delhi, Feb 9, 2013: Afzal Guru has been buried inside the Tihar jail complex, a prison official told PTI on Saturday. "He (Guru) was buried near jail number three," he added. This was similar to the case of Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was buried in Pune’s Yerwada jail soon after his execution.

Vimla Mehra, DG (Prisons), said Afzal Guru was in good health and was hanged in the presence of a magistrate, a doctor and other jail officials. He woke up early in the morning and food was served to him, she said.

Mehra also said normal procedure was followed in the hanging. She said Afzal Guru was buried immediately after the hanging.

Home Secretary RK Singh had earlier said that Afzal Guru will be buried inside the jail complex with full religious rites. Home Ministry sources said that while the family of the former fruit merchant had been informed of his execution, they had not demanded for his body.

Afzal Guru was hanged early on Saturday morning at 8.00 am. President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected his mercy plea on February 3. Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde signed the execution order on February 4 and the final date of execution was decided on February 8. A day later, the Parliament attack convict was hanged.

Political parties have welcomed the execution with main Opposition party, the BJP saying that it was long-awaited. "This decision was delayed but we welcome it," said Rajiv Pratap Rudy of the BJP. The Samajwadi Party too welcomed the reports. Families of victims who died during the attack said it had brought a sense of closure to them.

Meanwhile, protests erupted in Sopore and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Sopore is the hometown of the Jaish-e Mohammad terrorist. Reports said that at least two people were injured in the protests and had been sent to Srinagar hospital. The police added that four of its personnel, including an ASI, were also injured. The ASI received injuries in his head, they said.

Security was tightened and curfew imposed in several areas of Kashmir Valley including Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag after Afzal was hanged. Cable TV services also shut down in the Kashmir Valley.