Mother of Rajiv assassination convict petitions for son's release

Chennai, Jan 6  The mother of one of the convicts in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination on Wednesday petitioned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa for her son's release.

The petition comes just short of the 25th death anniversary of Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated on May 21, 1991.

Arputham Ammal submitted the petition at the chief minister's special cell seeking the release of her son A.G. Perarivalan.

Perarivalan alias Arivu was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for assassinating Gandhi at an election rally at Sriperumbudur near here on May 21, 1991.

In her petition, Arputham Ammal requested the government to release her son under article 161 of the constitution, under which a governor has the power to grant pardon and reprieve or suspend or commute the sentence of any convict.

She also urged the government to take into consideration Perarivalan's good conduct in jail and his health condition while deciding his release.

A woman suicide bomber from Sri Lanka's now vanquished Tamil Tiger guerrillas blew up Gandhi at the start of an election rally. Several other people also died in the horrific explosion.