Afzal Guru's son, Wani's brother win hearts with exam success

Burying their past, the son of 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and brother of slain Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani, have brought laurels to their families by passing the 12th class examination with flying colours.

While Galib Guru, son of Afzal Guru, who was hanged in Tihar jail on February 9, 2013, has secured 88%, Naveed Aalam Wani, brother of Burhan Wani, has got 76% marks in the exam, results of which were declared by Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) on Thursday.

A JKBOSE official said as many as 55,163 students had appeared in the examination, out of which 33,893 students have qualified.

Ghalib, who was just two years old when his father was arrested, had passed his 10th class exam in 2016 securing more than 95% marks. Burhan's sister had also secured distinction when she passed her 12th class exam securing 449 marks in 2016.

Naveed, whose another brother Khalid Wani was also killed by Army in an alleged fake encounter, is the son of higher secondary school principal Muzaffar Wani.

Amidst his success Ghalib remembered his dead father and said he missed him the most "as he would have rejoiced the success of his son the most."  "I will now prepare for the NEET (National Eligibility Entrance Test) as it was my father's dream to see me as a doctor," he told reporters in Sopore town of Baramulla district.

As per his father's wish, he wants to be a cardiologist. However, Ghalib said, if he failed to qualify, he will prepare for the Civil Services.

Afzal had also pursued medical education before giving it up midway in early 1990's to join militancy. His widow and Ghalib's mother Tabasum said, "People in large numbers are coming to congratulate Ghalib.  But he is not satisfied with the marks."

Afzal, along with SAR Geelani, Showkat Guru and his wife Afshan Guru were charged with planning the attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001. Supreme Court later upheld the death sentence of Afzal but acquitted others.

Jehangir Ahmed, son of another slain militant Gulzaar Shaheen of Pulwama in south Kashmir, has fared even better than Ghalib and Naveed. Ahmed's father, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in August 2015 in Rantnipora, Pulwama has secured 472 out of 500 marks.

Meanwhile, social media was flooded with congratulatory messages for Ghalib and Naveed. "Congratulations to all the students who passed Class 12th Exams. Proud of Ghalib Guru, son of Shaheed Afzal Guru, for bagging 441 marks. Ghalib Guru, a soft spoken recluse, wants to become a Cardiologist as per his Father's wish (sic)," Imran Pandit, a netizen wrote on his Facebook wall.