New Delhi, Feb 11 (IANS): Afzal Guru's family was informed about his hanging via a speed post sent two days before his execution, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said here Monday. The post reached the family Monday, two days after he was hanged.

"Afzal Guru's family was informed and the speed post was sent on the night of Feb 7. He was hanged Feb 9," Shinde told reporters here.

He added that he had called Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Feb 8 and informed him about the hanging.

"We acted according to the rules," Shinde said.

Shinde stressed that it was not a "political decision" and that secrecy had to be maintained due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Senior postal officials in Srinagar, the state's summer capital, said the speed post was received Saturday evening - Afzal Guru was executed at 8 a.m. Saturday - but delivered Monday as Sunday was a holiday.

Afzal Guru was executed for his role in the 2001 terrorist attack on parliament.