Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Convict Santhan's Body Flown To Sri Lanka For Final Rites

The body of Santhan, convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case was transported back to Sri Lanka for the last rites on Friday.

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination convict, Santhan's body was transported from Chennai to Sri Lanka for his final rites on Friday after the Sri Lankan national passed away on Wednesday. According to a PTI report, his embalmed body — draped and kept in a coffin — was sent on a flight to the island nation amidst heavy police protection. 

As per his counsel Pugazhendi, Santhan's mortal remains would be taken to his house in Sri Lanka.

Following his demise early on February 28 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) in Chennai due to a cardiac arrest, all formalities were completed, and his mortal remains were handed over by the authorities for transportation to Sri Lanka.

According to the PTI report, Santhan alias T Suthendiraraja, 55 had been fighting for his life for nearly a month after he was diagnosed by doctors at RGGGH with cryptogenic cirrhosis, a condition characterised by liver failure without any apparent underlying cause. His brother and his counsel were by his side when he breathed his last at 7:50 AM.

Santhan had declined to undergo liver biopsy against medical advice. Pugazhendi said that Santhan wanted it to be performed after he reached Jaffna. "He would feel secure if it was done when his mother and close blood relatives were around. And I think he was right in his view. Hence, I had to sign the papers refusing the biopsy here," Pugazhendi was quoted by PTI. 

"He wanted to see his mother but unfortunately it couldn't be fulfilled. Had the authorities acted swiftly on his prayer to be deported to Sri Lanka, at least Santhan would have had the opportunity to see his mother," Pugazhenthi told reporters.

On Thursday, the Madras High Court directed the Tamil Nadu government to take all necessary steps to ensure that process for sending Santhan's body to Sri Lanka is completed as quickly as possible. 

As per E Theranirajan, Dean of RGGGH, Santhan suffered a cardiac arrest at around 4 AM on Wednesday but was revived following a CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) procedure and given an oxygen supply with a ventilator, reported PTI. 

Santhan (55) was one of the seven persons set free by the Supreme Court in 2022 after they served over 20 years of jail term in connection with the assassination of the former prime minister in Sriperumbudur near Chennai in 1991.