Lawyers in Madras fast

Three city advocates today began an indefinite fast at the Madras High Court premises here demanding withdrawal of capital punishment to three LTTE convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The advocates Kayalvizhi, Vadivambal and Sujatha also demanded abolition of awarding capital punishment. The Supreme Court had sentenced Murugan, Santhan, Perarivalan and Nalini to death in 1999 for the assassination of the former Prime Minister in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 199. But, the apex court in 2000 had confirmed the death sentence of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, while commuting Nalini's sentence to life imprisonment. President Pratibha Patil had recently rejected the clemency petitions of the three.

The high security prison in Vellore, where the convicts are lodged, has been informed about the rejection of the mercy petitions. (PTI)