Siva Parameswaran
The lawyer for the deceased Santhan has expressed fears about the safety of three other inmates convicted and released in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, lodged in the Special Camp in Tiruchy, Tamil Nadu.
Pandian Pugalenthi, late Santhan’s lawyer from Chennai also appealed to the Tamil MPs from Sri Lanka to visit the camp and meet the trio of Murugan, Robert Payas and Jayakumar.
Addressing media persons at the Jaffna Press Club on Tuesday (5), Pugalenthi said the trio was still detained in Trichy Special Camp even after being released by the Indian Supreme Court in November 2022.
“Now, the three others in the Trichy Special Camp are afraid to return to Sri Lanka. They are seeking to go to a country of their choice. In case there is a delay in the arrangements to travel to a country of their choice and if they continue to be in the Trichy Camo their lives could be in danger”.
He further alleged the death of Santhan was a “planned act of revenge by the Indian government. It was to take revenge for Rajiv Gandhi’s murder”.
Commenting on late Santhan’s detention even after his release by the top court, Pugalenthi said there was no reason to detain him in the Special camp.
“Restraining Santhan in a detention centre violates the directive of the Supreme Court to release him. Moreover, the lapses by the government could amount to the officers being culpable for his death”.
Pugalenthi further alleged the District Collector (similar to the GA in Sri Lanka) and the Police officials of deliberately concealing information for Santhan as well as him thereby preventing his departure to Sri Lanka.
Speaking to reporters in Jaffna he questioned the motive of the Indian government in delaying his departure to Sri Lanka, despite the travel documents being ready.
“We will be approaching the courts again to seek an explanation on the failure of the State and Central governments in allowing his return back to his home country and the reason for the delay”.
However, the doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital said his health condition was not fit enough to travel back to his native country since he was in the Intensive Care Unit due to his liver failure.
According to him, the deceased body was not packed properly and “was sent back without any respect for the dead”.
Santhan’s mother Thilambalam Maheswari made fervent appeals to the Indian and Sri Lankan governments and in particular to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Mode seeking his son’s return to be with her during her sunset years, a video of which went viral.
Pugalenthi invited Tamil political leaders to visit the Trichy camp and meet other Sri Lankan Tamils from Eelam whose cases are over and those released from the cases who are there.
“People including those allegedly attempted to flee abroad are detained there. Listen to their demands also. After that, you try to organize a dialogue between the Sri Lankan and Indian governments” he added while addressing reporters at the Jaffna Press Club.
Santhan’s body was buried in the Ellankulam “Maaveerar cemetery” close to his home town of Udupidy in Jaffna district. Thousands of Tamils including political and religious leaders, Civil society activists, University students, the Women-led Association of the Relatives of the Enforced Disappeared and lawyers among others paid tribute to him at various places as the cortege travelled from Vavuniya to Udupidy.
A mild scuffle erupted in Vavuniya between the organizers and the Police. While brief arrangements were made to pay respects to his body at the bus stand, the police objected to it being a public place.
Subsequently, the cortege travelled through the war-torn districts of Mullaitivu, Killinochi and entered Jaffna halting at various places where mourners were waiting to pay their tributes.
