Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 12: The family of Afzal Guru has rejected the Government’s offer to pray at his grave inside the New Delhi’s Tihar Jail and instead reiterated that they want his body to be returned for burial.
In the meantime a burial place, complete with a headstone, has been prepared for Guru in the Graveyard in Srinagar’s Eidgan area alongside founder of JKLF Mohammad Maqbool Bhat who is also buried in Tihar Jail after he was hanged in 1984.
The inscription on Guru head-stone reads: “His mortal remains are lying in trust with the government of India, the Kashmiri awaits its return.”
When asked about government’s offer for arranging prayers for the family of Guru at Afzal’s grave in Tihar Jail, his cousin Mohammad Yasin said: “It is of no use. As Muslims we can pray from here. We will go to Tihar only if the government of India is kind enough to hand us his body for burial here.”
Yasin said: “We have no other demand. The only thing we want is that Afzal’s body be returned to us for burial.”
Yasin said the family has written a letter to Tihar jail authorities as well as Deputy Commissioner Baramulla seeking that Guru’s body be given to them.
Yasin said: “Soon after we came to know about the hanging, we wrote letters to Deputy Commissioner Baramulla and Tihar Jail authorities. We are waiting a response from the authorities.”
On reports that Afzal’s family might be airlifted to Delhi for the purpose of visiting Afzal’s grave, Yasin said the family would go on their own if that situation arrives. “We do not want any largesse from the Government. The only thing we want from them is to return Afzal’s body,” Yasin added.
PTI adds from New Delhi: Meanwhile, Afzal Guru’s family today formally approached Tihar Jail authorities demanding handing over his body to them so that it can be taken to Kashmir.
Guru’s lawyers N D Pancholi and Nandita Haksar, on behalf of the family, sent a letter to Tihar Director General Vimla Mehra also conveying that they would like to offer prayers at his grave when they come to Delhi.
“They (the family) would like to be able to offer prayers at Afzal’s grave when they come. They have requested that you initiate the procedures on their behalf for taking his body back to Kashmir,” the letter said.
Slamming the prison authorities for “leaking” information about Guru’s belongings, the lawyers said the family wanted them to take possession of the belongings.
“They would like that you keep Afzal’s belongings in a safe place after making an inventory which should be handed over to Afzal’s lawyers,” the letter said.
The lawyers said the family was “disturbed” over not getting any response from the jail authorities towards their demand to offer prayer at Guru’s grave.
Asked about demand of the family, a top official in Tihar jail said as per norms the family will have to approach the authorities either to offer prayer at Guru’s grave or to get possession of his belongings.
“The request should come from the family members as per rules. So far we have not received any communication from the family,” said the official.
Afzal was hanged last week for his role in 2001 Parliament attack and his body burying on Tihar jail premises.
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