Rajiv assassins plea to Jaya to intervene

Vellore: Rajiv Gandhi assassins Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, facing the death row, today appealed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to intervene in the matter even as their hanging may take place on 9 September. [caption id=“attachment_70713” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“A communication from the President’s secretariat rejecting their clemency petitions reached prison authorities here last night. PTI”] [/caption] Reports said authorities at Vellore jail have fixed their execution on 9 September, but there was no official confirmation. The three convicts lodged in central prison here handed over their appeal addressed to the Chief Minister to the jail authorities, police said. A communication from the President’s secretariat rejecting their clemency petitions reached prison authorities here last night. The death sentences of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan were confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2000. The capital punishment of the fourth convict Nalini was, however, commuted to life by the apex court. The three men and Nalini belonged to LTTE and were convicted of assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on 21 May 1991. Meanwhile, MDMK chief Vaiko today met the trio in Vellore jail this morning. One of their advocates, Pugazhendhi, said they “would soon decide on the next plan of action”.