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Request by Afzal Guru's family to visit his grave in Tihar Jail to be considered, says Shinde
The govt will consider any request by the family of Afzal Guru to visit his grave inside the Tihar jail in Delhi where he was buried after his hanging on Saturday, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said today. Afzal's family gets govt's letter | Read letter | Afzal wrote letter to wife just before execution
The government will consider any request by the family of Afzal Guru to visit his grave inside the Tihar jail in New Delhi where he was buried after his hanging on Saturday, Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Monday.
"If they want to go (to the grave), it can be considered," Shinde told a press conference in New Delhi.
The family of 43-year-old Afzal has expressed a desire to offer at least "fathiah namaz" (prayer at the grave) and take his belongings.
Cornered over the government's failure to intimate the family, Shinde waved the xerox copy of the speedpost receipt saying "two speedposts within the gap of 10 minutes were sent on the evening of February seven."
However, Post Master General of Jammu and Kashmir Circle John Samuel said in Srinagar that the letter was sent from Delhi on February 8 and received in Srinagar on February nine.
According to the official website of India Post, a speed post from national capital to any part of the country other than metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai Hyderabad and Bengaluru will take four to six days.
Shinde was evasive on questions whether the government made it sure that the family was informed before carrying out the execution.
"I have information that family has been communicated. The letter has been sent through speed post on February 7 night and the action was taken on Febuary nine," he said.
