K'taka urged to release Veerappan associates

Following the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, political parties here have urged Chief Minister Jayalalitha to impress on the Karnataka government to release associates of forest brigand Veerappan who are languishing in Belgaum jail.

Hailing the release of Rajiv Gandhi assassination accused, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and Vidhuthalai Chiruthai Katchi (VCK) have asked the Karnataka government to follow it by releasing Veerappan’s associates whose death conviction was commuted to life by the Supreme Court recently.

The apex court had commuted the death sentence of Madaiah, Bilavendran, Gnanprakasham and Simon Antonyiappa.

VCK Leader and Lok Sabha Member Thol Thirumavalavan urged Jayalalithaa to impress upon her Karnataka counterpart to facilitate their early release from prison.

PMK chief Ramadoss also demanded the release of slain Veerappan’s elder brother Mathaiyan, who had been lodged in Coimbatore Prison for more than 20 years.
He said, having crossed the age of 65, Mathaiyan has been suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure and vision problems.

“Taking into account his health condition, the government should release him and several others, who are languishing in jails, on humanitarian grounds,” he added.

Gnanprakasham and Simon Antonyiappa were sentenced to death for killing 22 people, including policemen, in a landmine blast near Palar bridge on the Tamil Nadu-Karnataka border in 1993. Last year, President Pranab Mukherjee rejected their mercy petitions filed in 2004.