Emotional moment for convicts' families

For Perarivalan’s mother, Arputham Ammal, it was equally an emotional moment. As the news of the court order came out with lightning speed, prompting scores of women, including their lawyer friends, to reverentially raise their arms, the court breather came as a huge relief.

Shortly later, as senior counsel Ram Jethmalani was led out of the court hall by MDMK chief Vaiko, the victory shouts by hundreds of people gathered there reached a crescendo. In an emotion-choked voice, Arputham Ammal said: “All the three convicts should be freed. They are innocent. I thank the Tamil people all over who have stood by us in this moment.” 

Arputham Ammal also had a special word of thanks to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha for getting the Assembly pass a resolution urging the President of India to commute the death sentence of the three accused—Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan—to life. “People should continue to support us until all three are freed (from Vellore jail),” she urged.

Well before the court sitting, several pro-Tamil activists, lawyers and youth outfits, including the Revolutionary Students Youth Front, Makkal Kalai Ilakkiya Kazhagam and Women’s Liberation Front, kept the tempo high, shouting slogans to “abolish the death penalty” and demanding that the hanging of the three accused in this case be revoked.