Afzal hanging: From arrest till the noose

Written By DNA Web Team | Updated:

Afzal Guru's execution went through a long legal procedure lasting nearly 10 years.

Parliament attack convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged inside the Tihar jail at 8am on Saturday. However, the execution went through a long legal procedure lasting nearly 10 years. Following is the chronology of events leading to the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist's execution:

Dec 13, 2001: Five terrorists enter Parliament complex and open indiscriminate fire, killing nine people and injuring over 15.

Dec 15, 2001: Delhi Police pick up Afzal Guru, a member of terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), from Jammu and Kashmir. SAR 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.

Dec 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.

Dec 18, 2002: Death sentence given to S A R Geelani, Shaukat Hussain Guru and Afzal Guru, while Afsan Guru is let off.

Aug 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.

Oct 29, 2003: Geelani acquitted in the case.

Aug 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.

Sep 26, 2006: Delhi court orders Afzal to be hanged.

Oct 3, 2006: Afzal Guru's wife Tabasum Guru files a mercy petition with then President A P J Abdul Kalam.

Jan 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.

Dec 30, 2010: Shaukat Hussain Guru released from Delhi's Tihar Jail.

Dec 10, 2012: Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde says he would examine Afzal Guru's file after Parliament's Winter session concludes on December 22.

Feb 3, 2013: President Pranab Mukherjee rejects Afzal Guru's mercy petition

Feb 9, 2013: Afzal Guru hanged in Tihar Jail.