13 December 2001 has a special place in the history of India's democracy as it marks the date of the deadly attack on Indian Parliament, the seat of world's largest democracy by five terrorists of Lashkar-eTaiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.
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The attack not only further tested India's already ending patience, but also tarnished the legacy of India's democratic sanctum sactorum-the parliament. The attack resulted in death of all five terrorists, but to achieve their annihilation, six of our valiant soldiers also sacrificed their lives.
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On 13 ?December, 2001, five heavily-armed terrorists, allegedly belonging to terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, stormed the Parliament complex in New Delhi and opened fire indiscriminately. The attack led to the death of 12 people.
Here are some facts about the?attack on Parliament:
1. The terrorists hiding an Ambassador car with sticker which allows easy entry to the parliament complex entered complex around 40 minutes after the parliament was adjourned.
2. Though the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and leader of opposition Sonia Gandhi had left by then, 100 MPs including Home Minister La Krishan Advani were inside the parliament when the?attack was launched.
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3. ?Fortunately, terrorists' plans didn't go as planned and they found themselves against Vice President's motorcade. In haste, they tried to retreat, but in due process, their car brushed against a security vehicle which ?made security officials see what's going on and thus, they faced a challenge much before entering the two houses.
4. ?Five policemen, a Parliament security guard, and a gardener were killed, and 22 others were injured.
5. None of the MPs and ministers got hurt.
?6. ?The one-hour long gun battle was broadcast live on news channels
7. Attack invoked investigation into the matter and four accused ?namely Afzal Guru, Shaukat Hussain, SAR Geelani and Navjot Sandhu were soon arrested for allegedly assisting terrorists who plotted the attack on parliament.
8. ?Navjot Sandhu was acquitted of all the charges except the one under Section 123 IPC (Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war) for which she was convicted and sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for five years and to pay a fine.
9. Afzal Guru, SAR Geelani and Shaukat Hussain were given death sentence by the trial court.
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10. But later SAR Geelani was acquitted in the case, Shaukat Hussain's sentence was lessened to life imprisonment by the Delhi High Court. However, Afzal Guru's plea to review the death sentence was declined by Supreme Court saying ¡°there is no merit¡± in it on 12 January 2007.?
11. Shaukat Hussain was released nine months prior to his official date of release, because of his "good conduct".
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12. On 10 December ?2012, then Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde said that he will look at the file ?of Afzal Guru after the winter session of the Parliament is over.
13. President Pranab Mukherjee rejected Guru's clemency plea on 3 February 2013. Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde cleared the file the next day clearing the way for Guru's execution.?
14. ?Ten days later, Afzal Guru was hanged at Tihar Jail.
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