8 members of banned Tamil militant outfit sentenced to life

Eight members of banned militant outfit Tamil Nadu Liberation Movement, which attacked a police station at Puthur in Cuddalore district in 1991, were sentenced to life by a Special Court here today.
The court, however, set free one of them accused as he had already undergone seven years imprisonment.
Those sentenced to life today include TNLM founder Suba Ilavarasan.
V Ramasamy, Judge, Special Court for Exclusive Trial of Bomb Blast Cases, said all the charges have been proved against the accused, except for offences under the Explosives Substances Act.
The prosecution case was that TNLM members attacked Puthur police station on April 6, 1991 and hacked a police officer to death and seriously injured three other personnel before fleeing with weapons stolen from the station.

The core ideology of the group is carving out a separate country for Tamils through armed revolution.

The CB-CID which probed the case, filed charges against 10 TNLM members under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and Explosive Substance Act.
One of the accused died during course of the trial, while another turned approver. The case was then tried with the other nine persons being listed as accused.
Last week, Judge Ramasamy had convicted all nine persons after holding them guilty of offences.