Nalini Sriharan and Murugan, the two convicts in the assassination case of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, have sent a letter to PM Modi seeking ‘mercy killing’ for themselves.
According to reports, Pugazhendhi Pandian, Nalini’s advocate on Saturday said that on November 27 Nalini had sent a letter demanding mercy killing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Madras High Court Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi and the TN Home Secretary’s office.
Nalini’s advocate Pugazhendi said that ‘extreme stress’ has driven Nalini to take this decision.
“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,” advocate Pugazhendi said.
In the letter, Nalini has reportedly accused prison staff of mistreating her and sought relocation 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 allegedly seized a cellphone from his possession.
Nalini is the longest-serving woman prisoner in the country. She is currently lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore.
Reportedly, Padma, Nalini’s mother, has also concurred with advocate Pandian that her daughter is reeling under severe mental pressure.
Read: Madras High Court grants 30-day parole to Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict Nalini Sriharan
“After completing 25 years in prison, my daughter is in a state of extreme stress. I have heard that the prison staff is not treating my daughter well. She wants to be shifted from the Vellore Prison. So, she is demanding mercy killing,” Padma told the media.
Earlier this year, Nalini was granted over a month’s parole to make preparations for her UK-based daughter’s wedding. In 2018, President Kovind had rejected the TN government’s proposal to release Nalini and the other convicts from prison.
The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to release all seven convicts – AG Perarivalan, V Sriharan alias Murugan, T Suthendraraja alias Santhan, Jayakumar, Robert Payas, Ravichandran and Nalini Sriharan, wife of V Sriharan under Article 161 of the Constitution is pending with Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Four of the convicts – Sriharan, Santhan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar are Sri Lankan nationals.
Read: The politics of ironies: Getting away with the assassination of a former PM
Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991, by a woman LTTE suicide bomber during an election rally at Sriperumbudur near Chennai.
