A trial court in Tirunelveli awarded life imprisonment to three persons for attempting to murder Puthiya Tamilagam Party president K. Krishnasamy by lobbing country-made bombs at his vehicle when he was crossing the District Court Complex here in 2004.
When Dr. Krishnasamy was on his way to Arockiyanathapuram on Palayamkottai outskirts in his car on July 26, 2004 to attend a meeting, unidentified persons hurled country-made bombs at his vehicle on Palayamkottai – Thoothukudi Highway. He escaped with minor injuries as the driver accelerated on seeing the gang hurling the improvised explosives.
Palayamkottai police arrested 15 persons in connection with the attempt on Dr. Krishnasamy’s life, an incident which triggered tension in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts. Of the 15 accused in the case, Shankar, Thiraviam and Madhan died during the course of trial.
Second Additional Sessions Court Judge Padmanabhan on Wednesday held three of them guilty and awarded life imprisonment to D. Siva alias Sivalingam, 46, and P. Lakshmanan, 41, both hailing from Ramaiyanpatti on Tirunelveli outskirts, and M. Thangavel, 53, of Panankulam near Moontradaippu on Tirunelveli – Kanniyakumari Highway.
He also awarded 10-year imprisonment to the three men under the Explosives Substances Act, two-year imprisonment under The Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act and one-year imprisonment under the Scheduled Castes the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The sentences will run concurrently.
