Plea Seeks Removal Of Afzal Guru, Maqbool Bhatt's Graves From Tihar Jail Premises

New Delhi:

A petition has been submitted to the Delhi High Court requesting directives for the removal of graves belonging to terrorists Mohammad Afzal Guru and Mohammad Maqbool Bhatt from Tihar jail premises, where they were executed following death sentences.

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) additionally requests authorities to transfer the remains to an undisclosed location if necessary, to prevent "glorification of terrorism" and improper use of the prison grounds.

Filed by Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh and an individual named Jitendra Singh, the petition argues that the establishment and continued presence of these graves within a state-managed correctional facility is "illegal, unconstitutional, and contrary to public interest."

The petitioner's legal representative indicated that while they haven't received a specific listing date for the petition, it might be scheduled for Wednesday, when the high court typically addresses PILs.

According to the petition, the presence of these graves has transformed Tihar central jail into a site for "radical pilgrimage" where extremist individuals gather to honor convicted terrorists.

"This not only compromises national security and public order, but also glorifies terrorism in direct violation of constitutional principles of secularism and rule of law," the plea states.

The petition contends that maintaining these graves inside the prison "violates specific provisions of the Delhi Prisons Rules, 2018," which require that bodies of executed prisoners be disposed of in ways that prevent glorification, maintain prison discipline, and preserve public order.

"The petitioners therefore seek urgent intervention from this court to instruct respondents to remove these graves from Tihar Jail and ensure their relocation in a secure, undisclosed manner, consistent with established government protocol in cases of executed terrorists like Ajmal Kasab and Yakub Memon, where comprehensive measures were taken to prevent glorification," the plea explains.

The petition notes that both Bhatt and Guru, acting under the influence of "extremist Jihadi ideology," planned and carried out terrorist acts that seriously threatened India's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security.

Bhatt was executed in 1984, while Guru's execution took place in February 2013.