Veerappan's wife seeks commutation of death sentence for 4

Slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan's wife Muthulakshmi has appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to take steps for commuting the death sentence awarded to four of his associates in the 1993 Palar landmine explosion case.

Gnanaprakash (Veerappan's brother), Simon, Meesekar Madaiah and Bilavendran are "innocent and had no role in the blast" that left 22 policemen dead, she told reporters on Sunday night.

Alleging that the Special Task Force police foisted false cases against them, she said the state government should intervene and get the death sentence commuted into life imprisonment.

Though she said she would lead a padayatra on Monday to Karnataka opposing the execution of the four following rejection of their mercy pleas by the President, Muthulakshmi did not turn up at the venue.

A large number of tribals gathered here for the padayatra. Around 50 workers of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi attempted to launch the agitation, but were taken into custody by police as they had not obtained permission.

Supreme Court stayed till further orders the execution of death sentence of the four, who were awarded capital punishment in 2004 and lodged in a Karnataka prison.