Human chain formed to demand release of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts

Coimbatore, Mar 09: Various Tamil organisations took part in human chain protest in Coimbatore demanding Governor Banwarilal Purohit to release seven Tamilians who are in prison since 28 years in connection with the assassination of former PM Rajiv Gandhi.

In September 2018, a meeting of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, recommended to Governor Banwarilal Purohit that all seven life convicts in the former PM Rajiv Gandhi assassination case be released under Article 161 of the Constitution.

The decision followed the Supreme Court's observation that the Governor shall be at liberty to decide on the remission application of Perarivalan, one of the convicts, "as deemed fit."

On February 23, Nalini Sriharan, a convict, had written a letter to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami appealing to use the current political opportunity to release her and six others.

The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, occurred as a result of a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur, Chennai, in Tamil Nadu, 21 May 1991. At least 14 others were also killed. It was carried out by Thenmozhi Rajaratnam, also known as Dhanu, member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization from Sri Lanka.