A late night bomb blast that shook a nation to its core

Thirty one years ago, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi — who was on the campaign trail for the Lok Sabha elections — was assassinated.

Capturing the final moments of Gandhi’s life, HT reported, “Just before he left Madras for Sriperumbudur, a beaming Mr Gandhi, who was on a country-wide campaign tour to regain power, told reporters that the Congress-I would come back to power at the Centre on its own.

He sounded extremely cheerful and jubilant and was mixing with the press in an easy and relaxed manner.” On his way to the rally, Rajiv Gandhi paid respects at a statue of his late mother and former PM, Indira Gandhi.

“The Government regrets to announce the passing away of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in a bomb blast at 10.10pm tonight,” Principal Information Officer I, Ramamohan Rao, told reporters.

Party spokesperson, Pranab Mukherjee, said that bomb that killed Gandhi and several others at Sriperumbudur was concealed in the bouquet presented to the former PM.