Topzle Topzle

Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi

Updated: Wikipedia source

Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi

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. At least 14 others, in addition to Rajiv Gandhi and the assassin, were killed. It was carried out by 22-year-old Kalaivani Rajaratnam (popularly known by her assumed names Thenmozhi Rajaratnam and Dhanu), a member of the banned Sri Lankan Tamil separatist rebel organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). At the time, India had just ended its involvement, through the Indian Peace Keeping Force, in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Subsequent accusations of conspiracy have been addressed by two commissions of inquiry and have brought down at least one national government, the government of Inder Kumar Gujral.

Infobox

Location
mw- 12°57′37″N 79°56′43″E / 12.9602°N 79.9454°E / 12.9602; 79.9454Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India
Date
21 May 1991; 34 years ago (1991-05-21) 10:10 pm (IST)
Target
Rajiv Gandhi
Attack type
Suicide bombing
Weapons
RDX explosive-laden belt
Deaths
16 (including Rajiv Gandhi and the perpetrator)
Injured
43
Victims
At least 57 others
Perpetrator
Kalaivani Rajaratnam (popularly known by her assumed names Thenmozhi Rajaratnam and Dhanu)
Accused
Kalaivani Rajaratnam

Tables

The plot · Assassin Kalaivani Rajaratnam and Co-Conspirators
Chandrasekharam Pillai Packiyachandram alias Sivarasan alias Raghuvaran
Chandrasekharam Pillai Packiyachandram alias Sivarasan alias Raghuvaran
Name
Chandrasekharam Pillai Packiyachandram alias Sivarasan alias Raghuvaran
Act in plot
Planning and executing the plot of the assassination
Birthdate
1958
Birthplace
Udupiddy
Cause of death
Suicide
Malligai Pillai alias Subha or Nithya
Malligai Pillai alias Subha or Nithya
Name
Malligai Pillai alias Subha or Nithya
Act in plot
Standby to accompany the human bomb she was also the backup bomber
Birthdate
1964
Birthplace
Kupukullai
Cause of death
Suicide
Kalaivani Rajaratnam alias Dhanu alias Anbu
Kalaivani Rajaratnam alias Dhanu alias Anbu
Name
Kalaivani Rajaratnam alias Dhanu alias Anbu
Act in plot
The human bomb
Birthdate
26 July 1968
Birthplace
Kaithady Nunavil
Cause of death
Suicide
Name
Act in plot
Birthdate
Birthplace
Cause of death
Chandrasekharam Pillai Packiyachandram alias Sivarasan alias Raghuvaran
Planning and executing the plot of the assassination
1958
Udupiddy
Suicide
Malligai Pillai alias Subha or Nithya
Standby to accompany the human bomb she was also the backup bomber
1964
Kupukullai
Suicide
Kalaivani Rajaratnam alias Dhanu alias Anbu
The human bomb
26 July 1968
Kaithady Nunavil
Suicide

References

  1. The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: The Investigation
    https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCnjCQAAQBAJ
  2. Assassination in India; Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated in bombing at campaign stop; India puts off rest of voting [1] Arch
    https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/22/world/assassination-india-rajiv-gandhi-assassinated-bombing-campaign-stop-india-puts.html?pagewanted=all
  3. "1991: Bomb kills India's former leader Rajiv Gandhi"
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/21/newsid_2504000/2504739.stm
  4. The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
    https://books.google.com/books?id=l7zBDAAAQBAJ&dq=real+name+Kalaivani+aka+Gayatri+aka+Thenmozhi+Rajaratnam,+resident+of+Kaithadi,+Nunavil,+Chavakacheri,+born+on+26&pg=PT33
  5. www.outlookindia.com
    https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/lady-with-the-poison-flowers/228400
  6. www.sun-sentinel.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140714222310/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-11-29/news/9711280315_1_congress-party-gujral-bharatiya-janata-party
  7. "TN to release all Rajiv convicts"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140304231802/http://chennaivision.com/news/2014/72578.php
  8. Barbara Crossette, "Assassination in India; Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated in bombing at campaign stop" Archived 13 Januar
    https://www.nytimes.com/1991/05/22/world/assassination-india-rajiv-gandhi-assassinated-bombing-campaign-stop-india-puts.html
  9. Barbara Crossette, "A Chance To Be Near The People New Campaigning Style Put Gandhi In Crowds", The New York Times, 22 M
    https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1991/05/22/a-chance-to-be-near-the-people-new-campaigning-style-put-gandhi-in-crowds/
  10. The New Indian Express
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190514210449/http://www.newindianexpress.com/galleries/nation/2018/may/21/a-look-back-at-rajiv-gandhi-assassination-rare-images-from-the-past-101515.html
  11. Supreme Court of India, State Of Tamil Nadu Through vs Nalini And 25 Others on 11 May 1999 [2] Archived 13 December 2020
    https://indiankanoon.org/doc/194120/
  12. The Indian Express
    https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/rajiv-gandhi-assassination-other-people-killed-2813120/
  13. India Today
    https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rajiv-gandhi-assassination-sriperumbudur-new-delhi-978318-2017-05-21
  14. India Today
    https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/cover-story/story/19910630-ltte-key-suspect-in-rajiv-gandhi-assassination-probe-815528-1991-06-30
  15. The Hindu
    https://www.thehindu.com/features/downtown/women-power-living-with-grit-and-painful-memories/article3421265.ece
  16. Article
    http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showcolumns.aspx?id=COLEN20070012787
  17. Article
    http://www.asiantribune.com/node/5839
  18. Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi — Shashi Ahluwalia, Meenakshi Ahluwalia
    https://books.google.com/books?id=SAZVQqntxY0C&q=rajiv+gandhi+body+reconstructed&pg=PA70
  19. "Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and its aftermath"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20130430204658/http://www.publishyourarticles.net/knowledge-hub/essay/assassination-of-rajiv-gandhi-and-its-aftermath-essay.html
  20. www.thesnacademy.ac.in
    http://www.thesnacademy.ac.in/board-of-governors-karthikeyan.html
  21. www.frontline.in
    http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1611/16111060.htm
  22. The Hindu
    http://www.thehindu.com/in-school/rajivs-death-a-revisit/article5814423.ece
  23. India Today
    https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19910831-investigations-of-rajiv-gandhi-murder-reveal-that-sivarasan-is-a-man-with-many-names-814736-1991-08-31
  24. India Today
    https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19920531-rajiv-gandhi-assassination-dhanu-the-first-ever-human-bomb-in-sri-lankas-history-766314-2013-06-14
  25. The Bleeding Island: Scars and Wounds
    https://books.google.com/books?id=_OVEDAAAQBAJ&dq=dhanu+%C2%A0rajiv+gandhi+ankle+padma+google+books&pg=PT193
  26. The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: The Investigation
    https://books.google.com/books?id=ZCnjCQAAQBAJ
  27. New York Review of Books
    https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2005/10/20/the-truth-about-dhanu/
  28. The South First
    https://thesouthfirst.com/tamilnadu/father-of-rajiv-gandhis-assassin-dhanu-was-a-fan-of-nehru/
  29. The South First
    https://thesouthfirst.com/tamilnadu/father-of-rajiv-gandhis-assassin-dhanu-was-a-fan-of-nehru/
  30. India Today
    https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19910831-investigations-of-rajiv-gandhi-murder-reveal-that-sivarasan-is-a-man-with-many-names-814736-1991-08-30
  31. "Rajiv Gandhi murder: Who are the 7 convicts the TN govt wants to free?"
    https://www.firstpost.com/india/rajiv-gandhi-murder-who-are-the-7-convicts-the-tn-govt-wants-to-free-1398193.html
  32. www.dailymirror.lk
    https://www.dailymirror.lk/dbs-jeyaraj-column/One-eyed-Sivarasan-the-mastermind-behind-the-Rajiv-Gandhi-assassination/192-109816
  33. "Jain Commission Of Enquiry vs Unknown on 2 July, 1993"
    https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/89249/?big=3&formInput=akila
  34. India Today
    https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19910831-investigations-of-rajiv-gandhi-murder-reveal-that-sivarasan-is-a-man-with-many-names-814736-1991-08-30
  35. State of Tamil Nadu through Superintendent of Police, CBI/SIT vs. Nalini & 25 Ors., Death Ref. Case No. 1 of 1998 (@ D.N
    http://cbi.nic.in/dop/judgements/thomas.pdf
  36. "Archived copy"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20111102222525/http://cbi.nic.in/dop/judgements/thomas.pdf
  37. The Hindu
    http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1611/16111030.htm
  38. "Death Reference Case No. (@ D.NO.1151 of 1998)"
    http://cbi.nic.in/judgements/thomas.pdf
  39. "Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: tracing the trial"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20140225174236/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rajiv-gandhi-assassination-case-tracing-the-trial/453154-3.html
  40. "Rajiv Gandhi assassination Timeline"
    http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/rajiv-gandhi-assassination-timeline.html
  41. "Legal luminaries divided on death verdict in Rajiv assassination case"
    http://expressindia.indianexpress.com/ie/daily/19980130/03050184.html
  42. India: The Prevention of Terrorism Bill. Past abuses revisited | Amnesty International Archived 3 December 2006 at the W
    http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA200222000?open&of=ENG-IND
  43. "Human Rights Bulletin on Srfati Lanka"
    http://www.derechos.org/saran/lanka/3298.html
  44. cbi.nic.in
    https://web.archive.org/web/20070122000734/http://cbi.nic.in/Judgements/wadwa.htm
  45. The Times of India
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/I-regret-Rajiv-Gandhis-assassination-Nalini/articleshow/3320790.cms
  46. "My sins washed away, says Nalini Sriharan"
    http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_my-sins-washed-away-says-nalini-sriharan_1159967
  47. The Times of India
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Nalini-meets-hubby-on-death-row-/articleshow/9939678.cms
  48. "Rajiv Gandhi assassin Nalini Sriharan not to be freed"
    https://www.indiatoday.in/latest-headlines/story/rajiv-gandhi-assassin-nalini-sriharan-not-to-be-freed-70411-2010-03-28
  49. The Times of India
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajiv-Gandhis-assassin-Nalini-gets-back-A-class-jail-facilities/articleshow/12283636.cms
  50. "Rajiv Gandhi's killer Nalini breaks down"
    http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/rajiv-gandhi-s-killer-nalini-breaks-down-132130
  51. "Nalini Sriharan back in Vellore"
    https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-rajiv-gandhi-assassination-convict-nalini-shifted-to-vellore-prison-1584208
  52. The Times of India
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Nalini-shifted-from-Vellore-jail-to-Puzhal/articleshow/6103653.cms
  53. The Times of India
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/After-19-yrs-in-jail-for-Rajiv-murder-Nalini-may-be-freed/articleshow/5482411.cms
  54. outlookindia.com Archived October 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
    http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_print.asp?id=266715
  55. "Probe Chandraswami's role in Rajiv case – Jain report"
    http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19980711/19250694.html
  56. www.deccanherald.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20041228043145/http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/Dec112004/i2.asp
  57. "Chandraswami had a hand in the plot"
    http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19990514/ige14006.html
  58. "Raw Wound"
    https://www.himalmag.com/india-nepal-sri-lanka-a-raw-wound/
  59. "IB hid crucial video on Rajiv Gandhi murder: Book"
    http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ib-hid-crucial-video-on-rajiv-gandhi-murder-book_1757684
  60. We deeply regret Rajiv's death: LTTE Archived 13 May 2007 at the Wayback Machine
    http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=70062
  61. BBC News
    https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5122032.stm
  62. LTTE in the eyes of the world
    https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/541545
  63. The Economic Times
    https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/top-ltte-leader-apologizes-to-india-for-rajivs-killing/articleshow/8555212.cms
  64. The Times of India
    https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rajiv-Gandhi-assassination-video-suppressed-claims-book/articleshow/17012933.cms
  65. "LTTE's messages show why Gandhi's murder should be re-probed (Part-1)"
    http://www.firstpost.com/india/lttes-messages-show-why-rajiv-gandhis-murder-should-be-re-probed-part-1-1398773.html
  66. "Bypass Film"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHyrBpaG_G8
  67. "Bypass Film"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0scdVuuWBp4
  68. Penguin India
    https://www.penguin.co.in/book/the-assassination-of-rajiv-gandhi/
  69. The Hindu
    https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/the-hunt-the-rajiv-gandhi-assassination-case-trailer-amit-sial-leads-investigation-around-infamous-suicide-bombing/article69711989.ece
Image
Source: —
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.