NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday sought an explanation from the Home Ministry for the delay in informing the family of Afzal Guru about the execution of the 2001 Parliament attack convict.
Guru had been secretly hanged in Tihar jail on early Saturday and the news about his execution broke later in the day and his family received the letter informing them about the rejection of his mercy petition by the President two days later.
Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has said that the letter was sent via speed post to Sopore, Guru’s hometown in the Kashmir, on the midnight of February 7.
The incident had triggered an unexpected wave of criticism against the government in the media and also flared tensions in Kashmir.
Singh on Tuesday met Shinde and reportedly enquired about the delay and also asked why snail mail was used by the Ministry for the purpose, a point also raised by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Guru was hanged at Delhi’s Tihar Jail on Saturday. The execution took place at 8am and he was buried soon after at the jail, where he had been lodged for nearly eight years.
Guru’s execution was initially scheduled for Oct 20, 2006. But it was stayed after Guru’s wife filed a mercy petition with the President. Agencies
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
