The mother of Santhan, one of the Eelam Tamils who was imprisoned for the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and subsequently released, has sent out a plea for her son to be brought to Sri Lanka in light of his deteriorating health.
Santhan was convicted with six others for facilitating the assassination of the former Indian Premier. However, in a surprising turn of events in November 2022, the High Court released all seven individuals. Subsequently, they were transferred to the Special Camp, a detention center for foreigners located in Trichy Central Jail, where they have been held since November 2022.
Recently, Santhan fell seriously ill and was admitted to a government hospital in Chennai for treatment. As his health continued to worsen he was then transferred to a government hospital in Trichy. Reports indicate that Santhan is grappling with severe liver and kidney problems. Further medical complications resulted in Santhan being moved back to Chennai, to the Rajiv Gandhi Hospital. Despite a hearing on January 8th regarding his case seeking permission to return to Sri Lanka, the attorneys representing the Central Government of India informed the court that the necessary authorisation from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not been received.
Santhan's distressed mother is now urging authorities to take immediate steps for his repatriation to Sri Lanka. This plea comes after she had previously written to both Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremasinghe and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking their intervention to expedite her son's return.
The deteriorating health of Santhan and the delay in securing the required permissions for his repatriation have raised concerns among family members and supporters. The mother's fervent request underscores the urgency of the situation, urging swift action to ensure Santhan's well-being and prompt return to his homeland.
