Afzal Guru hanging “wrong and badly handled”, says Tharoor

Restrictions placed in parts of Srinagar in anticipation of separatists’ protests on anniversary of Guru’s execution

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday tweeted that he thought the hanging of Afzal Guru was “both wrong &badly handled”.

“Family should have been warned, given a last meeting & body returned,” he added.

Afzal Guru, convicted in the Parliament attack case, who was hanged on this day in 2013. The UPA government led by the Congress, Mr. Tharoor’s party, was in power at the time.

IANS adds :

The authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar on Monday to thwart separatist protests on Afzal Guru’s death anniversary.

The authorities imposed restrictions in the five police station areas of Khanyar, Nowhatta, MR Gunj, Rainawari and Safa Kadal to maintain law and order.

Restrictions have also been imposed in parts of Maisuma locality following appeals for protest and shutdown by separatist leaders on the death anniversary of Afzal Guru, who was hanged inside Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013.

Contingents of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in sensitive areas of Srinagar city and other major towns of the Kashmir Valley.

Shops, public transport, and other business establishments remained closed in the city and other district headquarters of the Valley on Monday.

Attendance in government offices, banks and post offices was also adversely affected because of non-availability of public transport.

No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere so far, a senior police officer told IANS.

Authorities have placed some senior separatist leaders under house arrest in Srinagar to maintain law and order.