Fast by Rajiv assassination accused enters fifth day

Vellore, June 18 (UNI) The indefinite fast by Nalini and Murugan, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and lodged in Vellore Central Prison, entered the fifth day today.

The couple had embarked on fast from June 14, demanding that their daughter Arithra, living in Sri Lanka, should be given a student visa to study in Tamil Nadu.

Fifteen-year-old Arithra, a Sri Lankan national, was born in the high-security Poonamallee jail in Chennai when Nalini and Murugan were facing trial in the sensational case. She had been living with her grandparents in the island nation.

Arithra, who passed her tenth standard examination, had applied for a student visa to the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

Before embarking on fast, Murugan had also submitted a petition to jail authorities seeking a student visa for Arithra to pursue higher studies in Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, jail authorities denied reports that Nalini had fainted last night as she was on fast for the last four days. ''Her condition is good'', prison sources told UNI today.

While Nalini's death sentence was commuted to life, the clemency petition of her husband Murugan, who too was sentenced to death, was pending before the President.

The couple had earlier gone on a week-long fast in December last year demanding issue of visa to their daughter to enable her to visit them in the prison.

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