Afzal Guru Hanged: Survivor Najma Heptulla welcomes news

New Delhi, Feb 9: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and survivor of

in 2001,

welcomed the decision of hanging of terrorist

on Saturday, Feb 9. "It doesn't matter what caste or creed the terrorist belongs to, he should be punished," said Heptulla.

In the incident, Heptulla's body guard was shot by the five terrorists who carried out the attack inside the parliament.

"My body guard was shot. I welcome the news. Whatever the law says, we must do that."

Guru, the main accused in the Parliament attack case of December 13, 2001 was hanged in Delhi's Tihar jail. He was a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist.

However, the government carried out his hanging in utmost secrecy. It was just few minutes before his hanging, government announced its decision to the media. Earlier, Union home secretary RK Singh confirmed the hanging of Afzal Guru. Singh said that Guru was hanged at 8 am on Saturday morning in Delhi's Tihar Jail.

"He was hanged at 8 o' clock this morning. The President rejected his petition on February 3," said the Union Home Secretary, adding: "The law and justice is taking its course."

Afzal Guru executed: Families of Parliament attack victims relieved

Afzal Guru's hanging should have come earlier but it is a welcome move, said the families of those who were killed in the 2001 Parliament terror attack.

"We woke up to this news and we are very happy with the decision of the government. Though this should have been done earlier, it is a welcome move. Only the government can tell why there was a delay," said Gautam Negi, the son of Matbar Singh Negi of Parliament's watch and ward staff who was killed in the attack.

"We are relieved now," said Avdesh, whose wife Kamlesh Yadav was also killed in the Dec 13, 2001 attack on the Indian parliament.

Afzal Guru, who was sent to the gallows for his central role in plotting the attack, was hanged at 8 am on Saturday morning.

Nine people were killed in the December 13, 2001 attack when five heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists drove into the Parliament complex and opened fire.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from IANS)