A PIL in the Delhi High Court seeks the removal of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhatt’s graves from Tihar Jail, urging strict action against the glorification of terrorism and ensuring prison discipline.
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NEW DELHI: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Delhi High Court seeking urgent directions for the removal of the graves of Mohammad Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhatt, both convicted terrorists who were executed in Delhi’s Tihar Jail.
The petition, filed by Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh, argues that the continued existence of these graves within the prison premises is unlawful, unconstitutional, and contrary to public interest.
Petitioner’s Concerns
According to the plea, the presence of the graves has allegedly turned Tihar Jail into a site of radical pilgrimage, where extremist elements gather to pay homage to the convicted terrorists. The petition warns that this not only threatens national security but also undermines the principles of secularism and the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution of India.
The plea specifically cites Delhi Prisons Rules, 2018, which mandate that bodies of executed prisoners must be disposed of in a way that prevents glorification, maintains prison discipline, and ensures public order.
“The construction and continued existence of these graves is contrary to prison rules and has the effect of sanctifying terrorism,”
the petition states.
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The PIL requests that the court direct authorities to remove the graves from Tihar Jail and, if necessary, relocate the mortal remains to a secure and undisclosed location. This, the petitioner argues, would be consistent with past practices in cases of executed terrorists like Ajmal Kasab (executed in 2012) and Yakub Memon (executed in 2015), where strict measures were taken to prevent any public glorification.
“The petitioners therefore seek the urgent intervention of this court… in line with established state practice in cases of executed terrorists,”
the plea adds.
Background of the Executions
- Mohammad Maqbool Bhatt, co-founder of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), was executed in 1984 for his role in anti-India terror activities.
- Mohammad Afzal Guru, convicted for his involvement in the 2001 Parliament attack, was executed in 2013.
Both were buried inside Tihar Jail after execution. Their graves, according to the petitioner, continue to serve as rallying points for extremist sympathies.
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