Parliament attack convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged on Saturday at the Tihar Jail. Following is the chronology of events leading to the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist’s execution:
December 13, 2001: Five terrorists enter Parliament complex and open indiscriminate fire, killing nine people and injuring over 15.
December 15, 2001: Delhi Police pick up Afzal Guru, a member of terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), from Jammu and Kashmir. S.A.R Geelani of Delhi University’s Zakir Hussain College picked up for questioning and later arrested. Two others — Afsan Guru and her husband Shaukat Hussain Guru — were picked up later.
December 29, 2001: Afzal Guru sent to 10-day police remand.
June 4, 2002: Charges are framed against four people — Afzal Guru, Geelani, Shaukat Hussain Guru, Afsan Guru and Geelani.
December 18, 2002: Death sentence given to Geelani, Shaukat Hussain Guru and Afzal Guru, while Afsan Guru is let off.
August 30, 2003: Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Ghazi Baba, prime accused in the attack, is killed in an encounter with the Border Security Force (BSF) in Srinagar. Three more militants along with him are also killed in the 10-hour encounter.
October 29, 2003: Geelani acquitted in the case.
August 4, 2005: The Supreme Court, while confirming the death sentence of Afzal Guru, commutes Shaukat Hussain Guru’s death sentence to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
September 26, 2006: Delhi court orders Afzal Guru to be hanged.
October 3, 2006: Afzal Guru’s wife Tabasum Guru files a mercy petition with then President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
January 12, 2007: The Supreme Court dismisses Afzal Guru’s plea seeking review of his death sentence, saying “there is no merit” in it.
May 19, 2010: Delhi government rejects Afzal Guru’s mercy petition; endorses capital punishment awarded to him by the Supreme Court.
December 30, 2010: Shaukat Hussain Guru released from Tihar Jail.
December 10, 2012: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde says he would examine Afzal Guru’s file after Parliament’s Winter session concludes on December 22.
February 3, 2013: President Pranab Mukherjee rejects Afzal Guru’s mercy petition
February 9, 2013: Afzal Guru hanged in Tihar Jail.
Also read: Editorial - Dec.18, 2002: The Parliament Attack Case
News Analysis: Few straight answers yet
Editorial - Dec 20, 2002: The death sentences
Editorial - Oct 31, 2003: Justice done
Editorial - Aug 06, 2005: Just acquittal, unjust suspicion
Editorial - Oct 09, 2006: Clemency — for the right reasons
Keywords: Afzal Guru hanging, Afzal Guru timeline, Afzal Guru chronology, 2001 Parliament attack case
The Hindu, as I understand,was seriously working for the independence of India. But of late
it takes a peculiar stand on so many vital issues despite not being in the interest of the
nation, be it the Kasab execution or Afsal Guru. These elements were working against the
security and sovereignity of our nation. Please do not ignore the larger interests of the
nation, do not help anti national forces even in an indirect way. Your editorials are wrong
totally. Publicity about the feelings of a jail official after hanging(assume it is true)or interview
of Arundadhi Roy, a perverted writer, would only fuel anti nationals, terrorists to continue
their crimes with more vigour,confuse even balanced people.
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