Mohammed Afzal Guru, facing gallows for his role in the Parliament attack case, petitioned President Kalam for mercy on Thursday.
SRINAGAR: Finally a son’s love persuaded the father in Afzal Guru, sentenced to death in the Parliament attack case, to sign the mercy petition.
After initial reluctance, Afzal finally bowed to his son’s wishes. “We had gone to Delhi where we met Afzal. Initially he refused to sign. But when Ghalib told him he should sign the petition, because he needs his father around, he said he would consider. He however sought 15 days for his decision. Today we learnt that he has signed the petition,” said Tabasum Guru, Afzal’s wife.
“We had taught Ghalib how to persuade Afzal. Ghalib is not well versed to say so many things because he lives in his own small world,” Tabasum added.
The mercy petition has rekindled hope in Afzal family that his death sentence would not be commuted.
“We are seeing a ray of hope. We also hope that the president will be kind enough to save my husband,” said Tabasum.
102-page petition
Brajesh Kumar
Mohammed Afzal Guru submitted his 102-page long mercy petition to the authorities of Tihar jail. The prison authorities will forward the petition, which includes 75 pages of annexures, to the President.
In his plea, Guru said he was moved by the “solidarity” he has received from the people cutting across ideological divides apart from the support he got from Jammu and Kashmir.
“This support has truly given me a new hope that I may still live and able to see me son grow up,” he said. Guru said he was also moved by how “graciously the President received his wife, son and mother when they met him.....it kindled a new hope that I may still get justice.”
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