Rajiv Gandhi assassination convicts plead for mercy killing

Convicts in the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi - Nalini Sriharan and Murugan, have petitioned in the Madras High Court seeking mercy killing.

Nalini had sent the letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Madras High Court Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi on November 27.

Nalini's advocate Pugazhendi says extreme stress has driven Nalini to take this decision.

Pugazhendi said, "Nalini has sent a letter to the Prime Minister's office through prison officials. In the letter, she has sought mercy killing. The reason stated is that in 26 years they were hopeful that they would be released but that hope is now fading. Also, the prison officials are ill-treating her husband Murugan. She is unable to see the ill-treatment of her husband. She has also sent a petition to Tamil Nadu government seeking transfer to Puzhal Prison."

In the letter, Nalini alleged that they had been ill-treated by prison staff and wanted to be shifted out of Vellore prison. Nalini and Murugan are on fast in Vellore Prison for the past 10 days after Murugan was put in solitary confinement.

Murugan was sent to solitary confinement after prison officials seized cellphone from his possession.

Nalini, lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore, is the longest-serving woman prisoner in the country.

The Tamil Nadu government's decision to release all seven convicts - AG Perarivalan, V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alais Santhan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini Sriharan, wife of V Sriharan - under Article 161 of the Constitution is pending with Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Source: India Today