PM urged to intervene on death sentence

Chennai: MDMK leader Vaiko on Wednesday urged for the intervention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps for the cancellation of death sentence awarded to an Indian worker in Dubai.

In a letter to the Prime Minister dated June 4, Vaiko said Nathan, hailing from Ariyalur district in Tamil Nadu, had been handed a death sentence for the alleged killing of a colleague hailing from Afghanistan.

Vaiko claimed that the deceased "attacked" Nathan following an altercation and in the process of self-defence by the latter, Ifthar was killed.

Nathan was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death, Vaiko said adding this had severely affected the "impoverished" family of the accused.

"I request you to take steps to cancel the death sentence awarded to Nathan and save him," he said in the letter, a party release here said.

Vaiko had also written to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna and Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi in this regard, the release added.

PTI