Thursday, February 12, 2015

Ganapathy was Not the First and Last Indian Sent to Gallows

During the Emergency, it is a known fact that many were given death penalty for illegal possession arms. Many of them were Chinese from the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and labour unions front. There were a few Malays who have been hanged for same offense. It has been widely spoken by many Malaysian Indians that S.A Ganapathy was the only Indian sentenced to death for arm possession and another Indian, Sambasivam, sentenced to death for the same offense has been saved by Indian government. This is to prove how determined were the Indian leaders to save every Indian subjected to death penalty in Malaya.

But only a few knew that Ganapathy was not the first and last to be sentenced to death. Another Indian, Karrupiah, who have been active in union front and like many others joined the MNLA also sentenced to death.

The Straits Times on the 22nd February 1951, reported that an Indian, Karrupiah was sentenced to death at the Johore Assizes for being a bandit agent and collector. Attempts were made by Indian Government to save Karrupiah through Privy Council after his appeal was rejected in Federal Court of Appeal.

Details of Karrupiah's case nor his background remains unknown.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Jananayagam - 5th May 1945 - Ganapathy's Short History

Jananayagam (Democracy) published on the 5th May 1949 carried the life story of Ganapathy on its first page - "Thukkilidapatta Ganapath...