No mercy for Rajiv Gandhi killers from Jayalalithaa

The three LTTE activists sentenced to death for their role in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination suffered a major setback on Monday with chief minister Jayalalithaa washing her hands off their plea.

“Only the President of India has the authority to commute death sentence. Its beyond my powers,” she told the Assembly on Monday while intervening in a discussion on the issue.

Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, the three accused in the case and whose clemency petition was turned down by the President had rushed a last minute letter to the chief minister pleading to save them from the gallows.

With Jayalalithaa declaring her stance on the issue, the only hope the LTTE assassins have is their plea to the Madras High Court. Elsewhere in the state, Tamil chauvanist forces are indertaking fast and demonstartions in support of the convicts who are expected to be hanged on September 9.