Upon appeal, the death sentence of only four of the twenty . Others were given various jail terms, the website says. The special investigation team of India's premier special investigation agency Central Bureau of Investigation was not able to pinpoint when the decision to kill Rajiv Gandhi was taken.[29]. She "regrets" the killing of the former Prime Minister and claims that the real conspirators have not been booked yet. When Thenmozhi approached Gandhi with a garland, a police officer attempted to stop her, but Gandhi ordered the police officer to give everyone a chance to garland him. They are currently undergoing life imprisonment in prisons in India. The mother of a woman who died in Bangkok seven years ago and is suspected to be the 15th victim of "Aem Cyanide" meets police. The assassination was caught on film by a local photographer, Haribabu,[9] whose camera and film was found intact at the site despite him also dying in the blast. Past abuses revisited | Amnesty International, "In the Supreme Court of India Criminal Appellate Jurisdiction", "I regret Rajiv Gandhi's assassination: Nalini", "My sins washed away, says Nalini Sriharan", "Rajiv Gandhi assassin Nalini Sriharan not to be freed", "Rajiv Gandhi's assassin Nalini gets back 'A' class jail facilities", "Rajiv Gandhi's killer Nalini breaks down", "Nalini shifted from Vellore jail to Puzhal", "After 19 yrs in jail for Rajiv murder, Nalini may be freed", "Probe Chandraswami's role in Rajiv case - Jain report", "CBI sees godman's role in Rajiv's killing", "IB hid crucial video on Rajiv Gandhi murder: Book", "Top LTTE leader apologizes to India for Rajiv's killing", "Rajiv Gandhi assassination video suppressed, claims book", "LTTE's messages show why Gandhi's murder should be re-probed (Part-1)". TIMELINE - Female suicide bombers | Reuters The SupremeCourt held that the decision to eliminate Gandhi was precipitated by his interview to Sunday magazine (2128 August 1990), where he stated that he would send the IPKF to disarm the LTTE if he returned to power. In fact, the then governor of Tamil Nadu BhishmaNarainSingh, broke official protocol and twice warned Gandhi about the threat to his life if he visited the state. After having goofed up on the 50 most wanted list earlier this year, the agency has scored another major blooper. Judge Wadhwa further stated there was nothing on record to show that the intention to kill Rajiv Gandhi was to overawe the government. Template:Sri Lankan Civil War graphical timeline, Coordinates: 125737N 795643E / 12.9602N 79.9452E / 12.9602; 79.9452, Please select an option below or scan the QR code to donate This page was last edited on 24 December 2022, at 11:46. Former Indian Prime Minister and then Congress president Rajiv Gandhi and 16 others were killed in an explosion carried out by Dhanu, alias Thenmozhi Rajaratnam, a suicide bomber of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on May 21, 1991. 02:53. While convicting the accused, four of them to death and others to various jail terms, the judgment stated that no evidence existed that any one of the conspirators ever desired the death of any Indian other than Rajiv Gandhi, though several others were killed. The letter further said the following:[52], "We were made to vacate Ambattur. Today, the site where he was cremated is known as Veerbhumi. [3] It was carried out by 17-year-old Kalaivani Rajaratnam (popularly known by her assumed names Thenmozhi Rajaratnam and Dhanu),[1][4] a member of the SriLankanTamil separatist organization LiberationTigersofTamilEelam (LTTE). But in the world of female suicide terrorism, it is increasingly clear that coercion is not the norm. Disclaimer : We respect your thoughts and views! In a report published on 30 October 2012 in DNA, K. Ragothaman, former chief investigator of the CBI, talks about his new book Conspiracy to Kill Rajiv Gandhi: From the CBI Files and tells the reporter that while the CBI had started a preliminary inquiry in which M. K. Narayanan, former West Bengal Governor and former Intelligence Bureau director, was named a suspect in hiding evidence, the case was buried by the CBI SIT Chief, D. R. [57][58], Template:Sri Lankan Civil War [29][30] This created a storm in India. Among them was Thenmozhi Rajaratnam (Dhanu) who approached him and garlanded him. she joined the Tamil Tigers movement in hopes of establishing the independent state of Tamil Eelam on Sri Lanka. Birthday: - Date of Death: May 21, 1991 Age at Death: - The assassination was carried out by Kalaivani Rajaratnam. It was DNA evidence that established the identity of Thenmozhi Rajaratnam who had detonated the bomb that killed ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi and 15 others in 1991. Moderate. [49] In an interview in 2017, Justice K.T. The agency created a special investigation team under D. R. Karthikeyan[18] to determine who was responsible for the assassination. But in her way, the Tamil Tiger terrorist -- who blew up herself, the Indian leader Rajiv Gandhi and 13 others in May 1991 -- has perhaps had the largest lasting influence. [33] The trial was held behind closed doors, in camera, and the identity of witnesses was not disclosed. [27][28] Judge Thomas further stated that conspiracy was hatched in stages commencing from 1987 and that it spanned several years. in, This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 18:04. December 2, 2021 ramsey solutions headquarters. On 28 January 1998, the designated TADA court in Chennai gave death sentences to all the 26 accused. Here is a look back at the traumatic incident. Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary today, was assassinated in LTTE Thank you for subscribing our enewsletter. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines. The SIT probe confirmed the role of the LTTE in the assassination,[19] which was upheld by the Supreme Court of India. Everyone knows the truth".[53]. [37] The execution of the three convicts was scheduled for 9 September 2011. The views expressed in comments published on newindianexpress.com are those of the comment writers alone. | Express Photo, Nalini, another accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, can be seen here. The assassination was carried out by Kalaivani Rajaratnam. On a list of history's most notorious assassins, alongside John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald and Gavrilo Princip, the name Thenmozhi Rajaratnam would probably draw mostly blank stares. (@ D.NO.1151 of 1998)", "Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: tracing the trial", "Legal luminaries divided on death verdict in Rajiv assassination case", India: The Prevention of Terrorism Bill. Partner site: Zee News 1998-2022 Diligent Media Corporation Limited, All Rights Reserved. Sources have indicated that Gandhi was repeatedly informed that there was a threat to his life and that he should not travel to Tamil Nadu. "There is evidence to show that, during this period, some of the most vital wireless messages were passed between the LTTE operatives based in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna. | LTTE | Operation Blue Star | Indian Politics, Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi - Why LTTE leader Prabhakaran was angry with India? If you believe CBI, Dhanu didn't die in the blast that - DNA India However, the court confirmed that the death sentence was given to only four of the convicts, including Nalini, on 11 May 1999. "Why Rajiv Gandhi's Death Saved the Congress: How an Event Affected the Outcome of the 1991 Election in India." (Express Photo) Vaiko left the UPA alliance before the 2009 election, partly due to the Sri Lankan issue. Immediately after the expose, CBI had withdrawn the said list and had promised to correct all the errors. Meet the Karunanidhi clan: The vast family tree of TN's departed leader Since that terrible day, women are known to have carried out at least 185 suicide attacks, killing 2,130 people and wounding nearly 5,000 others. In the Rajiv Gandhi case, confessions by the accused formed a major part of the evidence in the judgment against them which they later claimed was taken under duress. Dhanu, wearing a bomb suit, denoted herself while she was bending to touch Gandhis feet. [48] Sikh Militants were also suspected, later proven true. If you continue to interfere, your comrade Parasuraman of Ambattur who sneaked to the police about our presence there, will not be alive", In a 2011 interview, KumaranPathmanathan, who was the Treasurer of LTTE and its chief arms procurer, apologized to India for Velupillai Prabhakaran's "mistake" of killing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In 2010, Nalini had moved the Madras High Court seeking release as she had served more than 20 years in prison. We have created a browser extension. The instruction given in the upper levels of the training -- Primary Four, Five and Six -- was a closely guarded secret among the fighters. Thenmozhi Rajaratnam | Historica Wiki | Fandom (Express Photo), Civil war was raging in Sri Lanka and on 5 June 1987, India, with Operation Poomalai, intervened. The decision was taken in Jaffna after a discussion on the re-induction of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) and a crackdown on the LTTE in Sri Lanka. Thenmozhi Rajaratnam, also known as Kalaivani Rajaratnam, Dhanu or Gayatri, the human bomb, was inspired by LTTE at a young age and joined the Black Tigers (suicide bombers). Nalini was treated as a class 'A' convict from 10 September 1999 till the privilege was withdrawn in May 2010 after a mobile phone was allegedly recovered from her cell during a surprise check. Ms Amos said she never learned what took place there. The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, occurred as a result of a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, India on 21 May 1991. Thenmozhi Rajaratnam (1 January 1974-21 May 1991) was a female suicide bomber of the Tamil Tigers who killed Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991. "Where words leave off, music begins!". In terms of competence, he said, "coercion brings the worst you have to offer"; in contrast, many of these women are -- like Dhanu -- highly capable. Indeed, time and again, the female terrorists in these struggles appear highly motivated. Dr Jagjit Singh Chohan had helped with logistical and tactical support to the Tamil Tigers. Troops from Cameroon, a largely Christian country, and Chad last year crossed their borders into Boko Haram's Nigerian stronghold, cracking down on the extremist group but also allegedly committing atrocities that engendered a backlash among the local population. She argued that even life convicts were released after 14 years. The party also demanded the removal of DMK from the UF government, arguing that it had played a key role in the death of Rajiv Gandhi. In the Rajiv Gandhi case, confessions by the accused formed a major part of the evidence in the judgment against them which they later claimed was taken under duress. thenmozhi rajaratnam daughter Nalini was treated as a class 'A' convict from 10 September 1999 till the privilege was withdrawn in May 2010 after a mobile phone was allegedly recovered from her cell during a surprise check. Harithra Murugan, daughter of Nalini Sriharan and Murugan interview, Template:Sri Lankan Civil War graphical timeline, https://en.bharatpedia.org/index.php?title=Assassination_of_Rajiv_Gandhi&oldid=375996, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, Kalaivani Rajaratnam (popularly known by her assumed names Thenmozhi Rajaratnam and Dhanu), Shivarasan alias Raghuvaran or Raghu-anna, Planning and executing the plot of the assassination, Standby to accompany the human bomb she was also the back-up bomber, K.S Mohammed Iqbal, police superintendent, Latha Kannan, Mahila Congress worker, who was with her daughter Kokilavani, Kokilavani, ten-year-old daughter of Latha Kannan, who sang a poem to, Darryl Jude Peters, attendee and observer, Munuswamy, former member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council, Saroja Devi, seventeen-year-old college student, Pradeep K Gupta, personal security officer of Rajiv Gandhi. Despite no action, the findings raised vital questions that have previously been consistently raised by political analysts. Thenmozhi Rajaratnam Death Fact Check, Birthday & Date of Death The main reason why Dhanu became a Tiger is that her brother was a well-known cadre who had died and she was carrying on the family tradition. Seven pillars surround the site of the blast, at the, Assassination in India; Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated in bombing at campaign stop; India puts off rest of voting, Supreme Court of India, State Of Tamil Nadu Through vs Nalini And 25 Others on 11 May 1999, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "1991: Bomb kills India's former leader Rajiv Gandhi", "Assassination in India; Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated in bombing at campaign stop", "A Chance To Be Near The People New Campaigning Style Put Gandhi In Crowds", "A look back at Rajiv Gandhi assassination: Rare images from the past", "The others who died with Rajiv Gandhi: Families talk of struggle, neglect", "Remembering Rajiv Gandhi: What exactly happened on that fateful night of May 21 in Madras and New Delhi", "LTTE key suspect in Rajiv Gandhi assassination probe", "Women Power: Living with grit and painful memories", "Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and its aftermath", "Mastermind of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, Sivarasan, is a man with many names", "Rajiv Gandhi assassination: Dhanu, the first-ever human bomb in Sri Lanka's history", "Rajiv Gandhi murder: Who are the 7 convicts the TN govt wants to free?-India News, Firstpost", "Death Reference Case No. Blakeslee, David S. "Politics and public goods in developing countries: Evidence from the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.". Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai, in Tamil Nadu by a woman suicide bomber. | AFP, The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) contingent that was set to sail off for home from Trincomalee on 29 November 1989, is seen arriving on board M V Akbar. They have also been far more deadly, killing an average of 21 people per attack in the first decade of their insurgency, compared to 13 for males. (@D.NO.1151of1998)", "RajivGandhiassassinationcase:tracingthetrial", "LegalluminariesdividedondeathverdictinRajivassassinationcase", India:ThePreventionofTerrorismBill. The final report, submitted in June 1992, concluded that the security arrangements for the former PM were adequate but that the local Congressparty leaders disrupted and broke these arrangements.[14]. With Wynk Music, you will not only enjoy your favourite MP3 songs online, but you will also have access to our hottest playlists such as English Songs, Hindi Songs, Malayalam . | Express Photo, Samdani Begam with Rajiv Gandhi moments before the assassination at Sriperumbudur. On 21 May, after campaigning in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, his next stop was Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. A look back at Rajiv Gandhi's assassination - The New Indian Express [5][6], Rajiv Gandhi was busy election-campaigning with G.K.Moopanar in southern states of India. She was from Kupukullai in Jaffna, and studied until middle school in Batticaloa. Premier Research is looking for: Associate Director Biostatistics. "There is evidence to show that, during this period, some of the most vital wireless messages were passed between the LTTE operatives based in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna. I use WIKI 2 every day and almost forgot how the original Wikipedia looks like. The assassination was caught on film by a local photographer, Haribabu,[9] whose camera and film was found intact at the site despite him also dying in the blast. If you continue to interfere, your comrade Parasuraman of Ambattur who sneaked to the police about our presence there, will not be alive", In a 2011 interview, Kumaran Pathmanathan, who was the Treasurer of LTTE and its chief arms procurer, apologized to India for Velupillai Prabhakaran's "mistake" of killing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Gandhi also defended the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka accord in the same interview. Kaarthikenyan, D. R., and Radhavinod Raju. Immediately after the assassination, the Chandrasekhar government handed the investigation over to the CBI on 22 May 1991. [17] He was cremated on the banks of the river Yamuna, near the cremation spot of his mother, brother and grandfather. Rajaratnam's eldest daughter from the second marriage was Kalaivani, also known as Thenmozhi or Dhanu. According to Mr Pape and his team, they are most prevalent in situations where a population feels that its homeland is being occupied by an invading force, usually of a different ethnicity or religion. Tobin Harshaw writes editorials on national security, military affairs and education. Seven pillars surround the site of the blast, at the, Remains of clothing worn by Rajiv Gandhi during his assassination, The stone mosaic that stands at the location where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in, Rajiv Gandhi escapes an attempt on his life by a Sri Lankan Naval Cadet, How were Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi killed? She then bent down to touch his feet and detonated an RDX explosive-laden belt tucked below her dress at exactly 10:10 PM. ", Rudolph, Lloyd I. ", Rudolph, Lloyd I. [37] The execution of the three convicts was scheduled for 9 September 2011. The so-called Chechen Black Widows, who have carried out more than 20 attacks since 2000, are certainly motivated in part by the deaths of their husbands at the hands of the Russian military. [49][50] In 1998, it was published in a newspaper that an interim report by the Jain commission made reference to a letter citing unverified information that Queen Aishwarya Rajya Lakshmi Devi Shah of Nepal had asked a courtier general of King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of Nepal, "to arrange for the assassination of Shri Rajiv Gandhi(for which) Rs 10 crore would be made available. Also included in the report are said to be the drunken utterances of a policeman confirming the matter. [8] Gandhi, his assassin and 14 others were killed in the explosion that followed, along with 43 others who were grievously injured. Published: 21st May 2018 07:29 AM| I did a series of articles after his assassination that pointed out how, after these meetings, Rajiv became complacent about his security and broke security rules in more than 40 rallies. The suicide bombing was carried out by Thenmozhi. [17] He was cremated on the banks of the river Yamuna, near the cremation spot of his mother, brother and grandfather. Blakeslee, David S. "Politics and public goods in developing countries: Evidence from the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.". Rajaratnam belonged to the former group. The fact is she had died in the explosion that killed Gandhi on May 21, 1991 in Sriperumbudur, near Chennai. However, the court confirmed that the death sentence was given to only four of the convicts, including Nalini, on 11 May 1999. [25] Additionally, the Rajiv Gandhi administration had antagonised other Tamil militant organisations like PLOTE for reversingthemilitarycoup in Maldives back in 1988. The special investigation team of India's premier special investigation agency Central Bureau of Investigation was not able to pinpoint when the decision to kill Rajiv Gandhi was taken.[28]. StateofTamilNaduthroughSuperintendentofpolice,CBI/SITv/sNaliniand25others. Congratulations on this excellent venture what a great idea! State of Tamil Nadu through Superintendent of police, CBI/SIT v/s Nalini and 25 others. These messages, which were decoded later, are directly related to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi", the report stated.