Consider mercy plea of Rajiv Gandhi's killer, SC tells TN Governor
New Delhi, Sep 6: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Tamil Nadu Governor to consider the mercy petition of A.G. Perarivalan, who is serving a life term in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
Perarivalan's counsel told a bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice Naveen Sinha and Justice K.M. Joseph that a decision was yet to be taken on his mercy petition pending for over two years.
He submitted the plea to the Governor on December 30, 2015, saying he had undergone more than 24 years of solitary/single confinement.
Perarivalan, among the seven convicts in the case, had sought remission/pardon from the Governor under Article 161 of the Constitution.
After the court asked the Centre to take a call on Tamil Nadu's proposal to release the convicts, the central government said on August 10 in its report submitted in the court that it did not agree, holding that setting them free will set a "dangerous precedent".
"Releasing the killers of a former Prime Minister will set a very dangerous precedent. The case has been decided by various forums of judiciary and executive and the prisoners do not deserve to be set free," the Centre contended.
Releasing them will lead to "international ramifications" by other such criminals in future, it added.
The now-vanquished Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka was blamed for the Congress leader's assassination by a suicide bomber at an election rally near Chennai on May 21, 1991.
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“Goli maro…” slogan raised as ABVP-linked group disrupts play at University of Hyderabad
Hyderabad: A group allegedly linked to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) disrupted a theatre performance at the University of Hyderabad on Sunday evening. The group is also accused of vandalising property and assaulting students.
Slogans such as “Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maro…” were raised during the incident, according to eyewitnesses.
According to the Observer Post, the disruption happened as Mahesh Elkunchwar's play Holi was being staged at the Department of Theatre Arts' GB Hall. The group reportedly objected to certain portions of the play, claiming that some phrases hurt religious sentiments.
According to accounts from those present, the situation escalated when individuals forced their way into the venue after damaging fixtures and breaking glass panels outside the auditorium. Students attempting to intervene were reportedly assaulted, and a guest faculty member was allegedly threatened.
Several students sustained injuries and were provided initial treatment at the campus health centre before being shifted to a nearby hospital.
Police later arrived at the scene, brought the situation under control, and escorted those inside the hall to safety. Witnesses said tensions remained high, with some members of the group continuing to raise slogans during the evacuation.
