Wednesday, February 9 2005 10:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The condition of S A R Geelani, who was attacked by unidentified persons in a posh South Delhi locality, was critical as doctors operated upon him.

"The operation, which lasted for more than two hours, is over but he is still critical. I cannot give you a medical report, he is in the recovery room now," Geelani's lawyer and noted human rights activist Nandita Haksar told reporters.

Geelani was rushed to AIIMS after he was shot outside Haksar's residence in Vasant Enclave locality at around 21:00 hrs (IST) last night (Feb 08, 2005).

Asked about the number of gunshots Geelani sustained, Haksar said "I am not very clear but at least two. One in the stomach and another went through his shoulder."

Regarding the allegations by Geelani's colleagues accusing Delhi police of masterminding the attack, she said, "We do not know, we can keep on speculating but one thing is sure that he was under constant surveillance by the police. When he came to Goa, there was literally a police picket outside my house."

Meanwhile, angry scenes were witnessed outside AIIMS as Geelani's supporters demanded a CBI inquiry into the incident.

Geelani, who was acquitted in the Parliament attack case by Delhi High Court, was shot at five times by the assailants but three bullets hit him, two of them on his stomach and one on the shoulder, police sources said.

Geelani was one of the four accused-the other three were Afzal, Shaukat Hussain and his wife Navjot Sandhu alias Afsan Guru-who were convicted and sentenced to death by a trial court on December 16, 2002, more than a year after the terror attack on Parliament on December 13 the previous year.