Anxiety, tension mark judgement in bus burning case

Salem, Tamil Nadu, Feb 16 (UNI) The mood in the packed First Additional Sessions Court was one of anxiety and tension when the judgement was delivered today in the sensational Dharmapuri bus burning case.

The tightly packed court hall watched in silence as the verdict was delivered sentencing three AIADMK partymen to death and 25 others to rigorous imprisonment for their role in the incident in which three girl students of the Tamil Nadu Agriculture University (TNAU) were killed when a mob torched the bus in the aftermath of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's conviction in the Pleasant Stay Hotel Case in 2000.

The entire court hall was ringed by policemen and tight security arrangements were in place with five metal detectors and some policemen armed with AK-47.

As Judge D Krishnaraja delivered the verdict, the relatives of the victims wept as justice was delivered after seven years.

The three people who were sentenced to death, however, claimed themselves to be victims of political vendetta unleashed by the DMK and said they would approach the High Court where ''justice will be done.'' However, the victims' parents felt the 25 other accused could have been given higher sentence.

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