Union Home Secretary RK Singh on Saturday said the body of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru cannot be returned to his family members as the burial has already taken place inside the Tihar Jail after his execution.

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"The body has already been buried as per the provisions in the jail manual," he told media here.

Singh also said Guru's family was informed prior to his execution.

"I asked the jail authorities. So, they had sent intimation by speed post. And the DG of J-K was also requested to confirm from the family whether they had got the letter," said Singh.

"There was no attempt to make it a secret. The procedure was followed. The only thing is that we didn't give a running commentary on the procedure," he added.

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today confirmed that Guru was hanged at 8 am at Delhi's Tihar Jail. Guru was buried inside the prison complex soon after his execution.

President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Guru's mercy plea on February 3 and a final decision to hang him was taken.

Guru was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on Parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court in 2004.

On 13th December 2001, five heavily-armed gunmen stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine persons.

They included five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official, two Parliament watch and ward staff and a gardener.

A journalist, who was injured, died later. All five terrorists were shot dead.

Guru was arrested within hours after the attack from a bus in the national capital.