The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Dharmapuri bus burning case: victim's father deposes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 08, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Dharmapuri bus burning case: victim's father deposes

Special Correspondent

SALEM: Retired principal of the Vridachalam Government Arts College and father of Gayathri, Venkatesan, deposed before the First Additional District Sessions judge D. Krishna Raja here on Tuesday.

Gayathri was one of the three students from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University who was burnt alive when the college bus was set ablaze in the violence following the conviction of AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa in the Pleasant Stay hotel case.

Breaks down

Breaking down frequently in the court, Mr. Venkatesan, said a watchman from the university had informed him over phone about the death of his daughter. He rushed to the Dharmapuri Government Hospital where he identified the body of his daughter by her hair, earrings and clothing.

When Special Public Prosecutor R. Srinivasan asked him to identify the clothes Gayathri was wearing at the time, the 57-year old Mr. Venkatesan broke down and refused to look at the exhibit.

Identifies clothes

However, the SPP told him that it was an important exhibit for the trial and that it had to be identified.

Amidst sobs, Mr. Venkatesan identified his daughter clothes.

Others who deposed included the then Dharmapuri Joint Director of Health Services, Dr. Rajarathinam; Dr. Kesavamurthy of Kovai Medical Centre, Coimbatore; and Dr. Govindaraj of the Dharmapuri Government hospital.

All the accused were present in the court.

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