Srinagar, Jan 18 : The moderate faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) held a protest demonstration on Friday in Srinagar, demanding fair trial for Afzal Guru, the prime accuse in the Parliament attack on December 13, 2001.

They protested that Afzal Guru should not be hanged, as he was not directly involved in the attack.

The newly joined member of APHC, Shabir Shah, led the protest demonstration from the party headquarters to the Lal chowk demanding fair trail for Afzal.

"We have decided that we will register the protest against the growing consensus in India to hang Afzal. We will protest in front of 'ghanta ghar' (clock tower at Lal Chowk),” Shah said.

“Although it is certain that Afzal will be hanged and will meet his fate, but after his death thousands of Afzal will take birth," he added.

Many Kashmiri women also took part in the protest and shouted slogans for release of Afzal.

The Srinagar police stopped the protesters mid way from the city's main commercial hub Lal Chowk. The police later arrested several protesters including women.

On December 13, 2001 five gunmen stormed the heavily guarded Parliament complex and killed nine people before being shot dead.

Mohammad Afzal Guru was one of the main accused and the trial court awarded him death punishment, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.

However, Afzal’s hanging on October 20, 2006 was put off after his wife had submitted a mercy petition to the President of India.

Kashmiri leaders had said that the hanging of Afzal would fuel violent protests in the Valley. (ANI)