Sri Lanka, March 1 -- The body of Sri Lankan national Santhan, a former convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, was flown to Sri Lanka from India on Friday for last rites, his counsel Pugazhendi said.

The embalmed body, draped and kept in a coffin, was sent on a flight to the island nation amidst heavy police protection. Santhan's mortal remains would be taken to his house in Sri Lanka, his counsel Pugazhendhi said.

His mortal remains were handed over by the authorities following completion of all formalities after he died early on February 28 at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital here due to a cardiac arrest. Santhan had been battling for his life for nearly a month due to liver failure diagnosed by the doctors at RGG...