Kashmir Militant Group Warns Of Attacks After Afzal Guru’s Hanging

Baba Umar reports

Pakistan-based Lashkar Toiba (LeT) has vowed to avenge Afzal Guru’s hanging. It’s spokesperson Dr Abdullah Gaznavi told British Broadcasting Channel that the group will “any time soon take revenge for this act.”

Quoting the LeT’s Chief Operations Commander Mehmood Shah, he said, “By hanging Afzal hastily and without due judicial process, India has once again proved that all the governments there exploit Muslim sentiments in order to gain power.

Guru’s hanging has remained controversial because the evidence that was used was questioned by several quarters. His family members and human rights groups in India say he was never given a fair trial. Some even alleged that in the absence of the real conspirators, the investigating agencies had been forced to make a scapegoat out of Guru.

In a rare interview inside the jail, Guru in 2006 told Delhi-based journalist VK Josh: “People still don’t know whose idea was to attack the Parliament. I was entrapped into the case by Special Task Force (STF) of Kashmir and implicated by Delhi Police Special Cell. The media constantly played the tape. The police officers received awards. And I was condemned to death.”

Meanwhile, the news saw normal life in Kashmir coming to grinding halt as violent protests broke out in disputed Kashmir at several places. Reports say eight people have been injured, two among them seriously, in a police firing in North Kashmir’s Baramulla province. The authorities have slapped a tight curfew in the entire KashmirValley as authorities apprehend law and order problem in the wake of Guru’s execution.

“As a pre-emptive measure, all 10 districts of Kashmir have been brought under curfew before day break,” says a senior police official.

Attempts were made to break curfew in Sopore (the hometown of Afzal Guru) and Baramulla district, police said, adding that security personnel fired in these two places. The authorities have also directed cable TV operators not to air news channels as it could lead to flare up in the situation.

A police statement said, Bilal Ahmad Gojri son of Abdul Rahman Gojri resident of Azad Gunj, Baramulla who was injured in his left thigh in old town, Baramulla was shifted to Srinagar’s SKIMS hospital where his condition is reported to be stable.

It said another person Firdous Ahamd Bohroo received injuries in his left arm in Sopore who was also shifted to Srinagar hospital where his condition is stable. Officials said four policemen were also injured including an ASI who received injuries in his head.

Meanwhile police broke a peaceful protest gathering at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi by detaining several pro-Azadi protesters. Those detained included Zamrooda Habib of Muslim Khawaten Markaz (MKM), students Insha Malik, Samia Lateef, Suzaein Mushtaq and almost 21 other students. The protesters said they were earlier attacked by goons of RSS. The detained also include social activist and writer Sanjay Kak.