Kashmir boils over death order to Guru

Srinagar, Oct 2 (UNI) Protests over a Delhi court order to hang till death Mohammad Afzal Guru in Tihar jail on October 20 continued in many parts of Kashmir today.

However, the protests were by and large peaceful today.

Dukhtaran-e-Millat (Daughters of Faith) activists, shouting slogans in support of Guru and his family members, gathered at the Regal Chowk here and marched towards Jehangir Chowk with placards and banners in their hands.

The peaceful procession, led by Dukhtaran-e-Millat Chief Asiya Andrabi, culminated at the Clock Tower here.

''Brother Afzal Your Sisters Are Proud Of You...Indian Judiciary Is Biased Towards Minorities...Brother Afzal Your Crime Is Only That You Are A Muslim...Masoom Ghalib Ke Walid Ka Jurm Kya Hai...,'' read some of the placards and banners in both English and Urdu.

Violent protests had rocked the entire Kashmir valley for three consecutive days from September 27. At least 200 protestors, including women, and activists of several separatist organisations had been taken into custody by police from different parts of the Valley during the past few days.

About 150 protestors, including women, police personnel and some mediapersons were wounded during the three days of stone-pelting and teargasing. As many as six photo-journalists, including Tribune's Amin War and Sajjad Hussain of the AFP, were wounded in clashes between police and protestors across the city on Friday.

Prayers have also been offered in all mosques and shrines of the Valley, seeking mercy for Guru.

A general strike call given by the Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference and supported by several militant organisations and the Kashmir Bar Association against the death sentence crippled normal life in the Valley on Friday.

In a statement to the local media here, the Muzaffarabad-based United Jihad Council (UJC), an umbrella organisation of several militant outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir, warned of ''dire consequences'' in case Guru was executed. A spokesman of the UJC, Sadaqat Hussain, described Guru as a ''non-combatant.'' Sinking their differences, several mainstream and separatist parties in Jammu and Kashmir have come together in seeking review of the death sentence to Guru.

Hurriyat Conference (Breakaway) Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, JKLF Chairman Yasin Malik, Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) President Shabir Ahmed Shah, National Front chief Nayeem Ahmed Khan, National Conference (NC) President and former Union Minister Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti, CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Hurriyat Conference (moderate faction) Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Kashmir Bar Association, Democratic Liberation Party (DLP) Chairman Hashim Qureshi and rival JKLF leader Javed Mir besides several militant organisations have ''denounced'' and protested the court order and sought presidential clemency for Guru.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Chandigarh and reportedly sought Presidential mercy for Guru, citing the public sentiment in the Valley against the verdict.

At the meeting held on the margins of a conclave of Chief Ministers of Northern India on September 28, Mr Azad urged the Prime Minister to immediately intervene in the matter.

On September 26 in New Delhi, Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur, while issuing the order of execution, to be carried out at 0600 hrs at Tihar Jail here on October 20, said Afzal Guru be hanged by neck until dead.

Afzal Guru along with Delhi University lecturer S A R Geelani and cousin Shaukat Hussain Guru were sentenced to death by a special POTA court on December 18, 2002.

The court had also sentenced Afsan Guru, wife of Shaukat Guru, to five years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 for concealing knowledge of the conspiracy. The Delhi High Court had later acquitted Geelani and Afsan Guru in the case.

The Supreme Court confirmed Afzal Guru's death sentence on August 4, 2005 and changed the capital punishment awarded to Shaukat Guru to ten years of rigorous imprisonment.

UNI AG VD HS1556