Prez rejects mercy plea of Parliament attack convict Afzal

The mercy plea of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru has been rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee. "The mercy petition of Afzal Guru was rejected a few days back," Rashtrapati Bhavan spokesperson Venu Rajamony said today.

Guru was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 attack on Parliament and was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court in 2004. On December 13, 2001, five heavily-armed gunmen stormed the Parliament complex and opened indiscriminate fire, killing nine persons.

They included five Delhi Police personnel, a woman Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) official, two Parliament watch and ward staff and a gardener. A journalist, who was injured, died later. All five terrorists were shot dead. A year later, four accused, including Afzal Guru, were arrested for the attack and found guilty after a trial.