Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi

Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
Seven pillars surround the site of the blast, at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial in Sriperumbudur
LocationSriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates12°57′37″N 79°56′43″E / 12.9602°N 79.9454°E / 12.9602; 79.9454
Date21 May 1991; 33 years ago (1991-05-21)
10:10 pm (IST)
TargetRajiv Gandhi
Attack type
Suicide bombing
WeaponsRDX explosive-laden belt
Deaths16 (including Rajiv Gandhi and the perpetrator)
Injured43
VictimsAt least 57 others
PerpetratorKalaivani Rajaratnam (popularly known by her assumed names Thenmozhi Rajaratnam and Dhanu)[1]
AccusedKalaivani Rajaratnam
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Remains of clothing worn by Rajiv Gandhi during his assassination
The stone mosaic that stands at the location where Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in Sriperumbudur

The assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former prime minister of India, occurred as a result of a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu, India on 21 May 1991.[2] At least 14 others, in addition to Gandhi and the assassin, were killed.[3] It was carried out by 22-year-old Kalaivani Rajaratnam (popularly known by her assumed names Thenmozhi Rajaratnam and Dhanu),[4][1][5] a member of the banned Sri Lankan Tamil separatist rebel organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). At the time, India had just ended its involvement, through the Indian Peace Keeping Force, in the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Subsequent accusations of conspiracy have been addressed by two commissions of inquiry and have brought down at least one national government, the government of Inder Kumar Gujral.[6][7]

  1. ^ a b Kaarthikeyan, D. R. (23 June 2015). The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination: The Investigation. Sterling Publishers Pvt. ISBN 9788120793088.
  2. ^ Assassination in India; Rajiv Gandhi is assassinated in bombing at campaign stop; India puts off rest of voting [1] Archived 30 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "1991: Bomb kills India's former leader Rajiv Gandhi". BBC News. 21 May 1991. Archived from the original on 27 July 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  4. ^ Gopal, Neena (16 August 2016). The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-93-86057-68-6.
  5. ^ "Lady With The Poison Flowers". www.outlookindia.com. 5 February 2022. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2018. With Rajiv Gandhi's gruesome assassination, the suicide bomber had well and truly arrived
  6. ^ Cooper, Kenneth J. (29 November 1997). "Leader Of India Falls From Power". www.sun-sentinel.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  7. ^ "TN to release all Rajiv convicts". Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.