E-Paper
Protests in J&K over Afzal's death penalty
Violent protests have erupted in many parts of J&K over court's order of death penalty to Afzal.
Violent protests have erupted in many parts of the Kashmir valley over a Delhi court's order to hang till death Mohammad Afzal, the prime accused in the December 13, 2001 Parliament attack case, in Tihar jail on October 20.
Police resorted to baton-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse a violent mob at Maisuma, the headquarters of the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) led by Yasin Malik, in the heart of the city.
Demonstrators, mostly JKLF activists, indulged in stone-pelting and burnt tyres to register their protest against the court verdict.
Several policemen, two of them critically, and many protestors were wounded in the stone-pelting and teargasing.
A leader of the rival JKLF faction, Javed Mir, was arrested by the authorities at Maisuma when he was leading a demonstration.
Reports received from Baramulla said demonstrations were staged in many parts of the district over the court order.
People in large number came out on streets to protest against the verdict at Doabgoan in Sopore, the hometown of Afzal.
Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur while issuing the order of execution, to be carried out at 6 am at Tihar Jail on October 20, said Afzal be hanged by neck until dead.
Afzal was sentenced to death by a special POTA court on December 18, 2002.
