The petition asserts that the burial of the convicted terrorists within Tihar violates the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, which regulate treatment of bodies and maintain standards for prison grounds. It argues that the graves constitute an unconstitutional symbol that could encourage extremist sentiment and misuse by those seeking to lionize such figures.
Representatives of the petitioner submit that if it is not feasible to remove the mortal remains, they should be reburied at a location unknown to the public. The plea insists on either removal or relocation to a secret site so as to prevent any potential for “glorification of terrorism.”
The local prison authority has not publicly responded to the plea as yet. Meanwhile legal experts point out that any action must balance constitutional guarantees—such as dignity of the dead—with concerns of public policy and security. One constitutional scholar noted that while public safety is a valid concern, the law typically treats even convicted criminals’ remains with a degree of respect, making removal a legally sensitive issue.
Delhi High Court has accepted the petition for hearing. The bench is expected to examine whether the petition’s contentions hold under existing law and whether ordering removal or relocation of graves from a penal facility is permissible.