Besides preparing the four the four associates of Veerappan physically and mentally fit to face the gallows, the prison authorities even got a final medical test on the four done late on Saturday night.
According to Dr Vasant Yamakanmardi, medical officer at Hindalga Prison Hospital, Gnanprakasham, Simon, Meesekar Madaiah and Bilavendran underwent all medical tests and were found to be fit. He said their impending execution had not made any impact on their mental state. “The four are quite normal and are ready to face their end”, he said.
Officials at the prison continue to be tight-lipped over the issue. A source, however, said a senior jail official had gone to Mysore to finalise with the date of hanging again with the local court.
“The officer is expected to be back at Hindalga prison with the papers on Monday evening. It means the hanging will not take place before Wednesday under any circumstance”, he added.
Meanwhile, senior advocate from the Goa high court, Ms Shanti Fonseca told this newspaper that she is ready with her application to be submitted before the Supreme Court appealing to stay the hanging. “The prison officials had 14 days at their disposal after receiving the copy of the rejection of their clemency petition. Fortunately, for the four inmates, February 17 was the 14th day and they cannot be hanged after that. This will be one my contentions in the court to save the four from the gallows”, she said.