Robert Pious, Rajiv Gandhi's killer languishing in jail for 27 years, seeks mercy killing

Robert Pious, convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, said he has lost purpose in life and wants euthanasia.

Chennai: Robert Pious, one of the convicts in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, has written to the Tamil Nadu government and DG Prisons seeking mercy killing. 

According to  reports, in his letter, Robert Pious had said that he has been in prison for over 27 years and has lost any purpose in life.

"I've been in prison for more than 27 years now...I can understand the intention of the government and as none of my family member have come to see me, I don't find anymore purpose in life," Pious said in his letter.

Robert Pious, who is lodged in Puzhal Central Prison in Chennai, said even one of the judges who pronounced him guilty in 1999 had said he is innocent but yet in the prison.

"Hence I'm never going to be released from prison, I request to 'mercy kill' me," Robert Pious is believed to have written in the letter, according to India Today.

Robert Pious is a Sri Lankan Tamil who was alleged to be a part of LTTE commando team. 

After his arrest, he had confessed before police that he was one of key planners in the assassination.

He is one of the seven persons who were found guilty of involvement in the assassination of the former prime minister on 21 May 1991 during an election rally at Sriperumbudur.

The Supreme Court has already dismissed the pleas of the Tamil Nadu government and one convict seeking review of its judgement in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in which was ruled that the Centre has "primacy" over states' right to grant remission.

The Tamil Nadu government had on July 28 last year moved the apex court seeking review of its judgement in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The petition had sought review of the apex court's verdict given in December 2015, virtually overturning the state government's clemency decision.

A five-judge bench had in 2015 said that the state governments must secure "concurrence" of the Union government before freeing convicts in certain cases.