Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Investigation, Culprits and Order of SC

Rajiv Gandhi Assassination

On 21st May 1991, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in Tamil Nadu at a poll rally by a woman suicide bomber identified as Dhanu. 14 others including Rajiv Gandhi were killed according to the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination investigation. Rajiv Gandhi was campaigning for the upcoming elections with G.K Moonpanar in India’s Southern states. On 21st may after the campaigning in Visakhapatnam he stopped in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. He planned to stop along by a few other election camps in Sriperumbudur in a white ambassador car. He reached the campaign rally in Sriperumbudur and left his car and walked towards the Dias where he was about to deliver a speech.

State Chief Minister and Governor

Many good wishes Indian National Congress, came to wish Rajiv Gandhi and facilitated him with garlands of flowers. Along with these good wishes the Assassin Dhanu, who was identified as Thenmozhi Rajaratnam as per the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination investigation, approached Rajiv Gandhi and greeted him. She touched his feet and bent down and planted an RDX explosive Laden belt tucked below her dress at 10:10 p.m. Along with Rajiv Gandhi, his Assassin Dhanu and 14 others were killed in the explosion, and 43 others were severely injured. The films and photographs of the assassination were caught on the camera of a local photographer Haribabu who was also found dead in the explosion.

Assassins of Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination

1. Murugan Alias Sriharan- A LTTE operative from Sri Lanka
2. Nallini- Citizen of India and Wife of Murugan.
3. Santhan Alias T. Suthenthiraja- A citizen of Sri Lanka
4. Robert Pious- A citizen of Sri Lanka
5. Jayakumar- The brother-in-law of Robert Pious
6. Ravi Chandran- A citizen of Sri Lanka
7. A.G. Perarivalan- A citizen of India, who was arrested for the supply of a 9-volt battery for the explosive device.

Why was Rajiv Gandhi assassinated?

According to the judgment of the supreme court of India, the assassination was committed due to the personal animosity of the LTTE chief Prabhakaran towards Rajiv Gandhi. The bitterness of Prabhakaran towards Rajiv Gandhi rose more from Rajiv Gandhi sending the Indian peacekeeping force to Sri Lanka and alleged Indian peacekeeping force atrocities against Sri Lankan Tamils. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi has not been considered a terrorist act under the TADA act as the pieces of evidence and the assassinator’s plan suggested that they did not desire the death of any Indian citizens other than Rajiv Gandhi.

Supreme court orders to release A.G. Perarivalan

• The supreme court has ordered to release of A.G. Perarivalan with the use of article 142 of the constitution. A.G. Perarivalan is one of the assassinators of the former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. A.G. Perarivalan was prisoned for 32 years and he spend 29 years of his 32 years in prison in solitary confinement. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014.
• In 2015 A.G. Perarivalan submitted a mercy petition to the Government of Tamilnadu seeking the release under article 161.
• In August 2017 the Tamilnadu Government granted parole to Perarivalan.
• In May 2021 perodieval was out on parole and the government kept extending the parole.
• In March 2022 the supreme court granted bail to Perarivalan and on May 11^th, 2022 the supreme court concluded the hearing of the case.

FAQs on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination

1. Who is behind Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination?
Ans. The chief of LTTE Prabhakaran was the main culprit in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. He planned the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi due to the rising bitterness between him and Rajiv Gandhi.

2. Why Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated?
Ans. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated because of the rising tension between LTTE chief Prabhakaran and Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi sent Indian peacekeeping forces to Sri Lanka and they were against Sri Lankan Tamil which became the start of bitterness between Prabhakaran and Rajiv Gandhi.

3. Who tried to hit Rajiv Gandhi?
Ans. Vijitha Rohana Wijemuni was jailed for attacking Rajiv Gandhi with a rifle butt.

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