Afzal Guru’s execution served no purpose, says Omar Abdullah

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said he doesn't believe in "capital punishment" and that the execution of the 2001 Parliament attack case convict, Afzal Guru, did not serve any purpose.

In an interview with news agency ANI, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, “The unfortunate thing was that the J&K government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru's execution.”

"Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming," Abdullah said.

He said, “We wouldn't have done it. I don't believe that any purpose was served by executing him.”

When asked if he believes in capital punishment, the NC leader said, "No because I don't believe in the infallibility of the system of the courts.”

He claimed that evidence has shown time and time again, "that it may not be in India, but in other countries, that you have executed people and found that you are wrong.”

Afzal Guru, one of the key conspirators of the attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001 was hanged in 2013 at Tihar Jail. He was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on Parliament that killed six security personnel and one civilian.

He was on death row for nine years as the government dithered over taking a final decision on his mercy plea. This was partly due to the legal efforts undertaken by Guru’s family to seek relief and also the lack of willingness on the part of the government to carry out the execution.

Omar Abdullah's statement came just ahead of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections. Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1 and votes will be counted on October 8.