History has a weird way of freezing in a single frame. Usually, those frames are intentional. You have the famous shots of V-J Day in Times Square or the moon landing. But then there are the frames that weren't supposed to exist. The grainy, high-contrast, almost voyeuristic shots that capture the literal second before the world changes.
In India, that moment happened on May 21, 1991.
If you look up Rajiv Gandhi assassination pictures, you aren't just looking at historical records. You're looking at the only reason the CBI ever solved the case. Honestly, it’s one of the most bizarre instances in criminal history where the killers essentially filmed their own crime—and then died alongside their target, leaving the film behind to convict the survivors.
The camera that shouldn't have survived
Sriperumbudur was hot that night. You can almost feel the humidity in those final photos. Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister, was campaigning. He was relaxed, maybe too relaxed. He had recently declined the high-level security he usually had, wanting to be closer to the people.
Amidst the crowd was a local freelance photographer named Haribabu. He had been hired by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) to document the event. Why? Because the LTTE leadership in Jaffna, specifically Prabhakaran, wanted proof. They wanted to see the "dry run" become the real thing.
Haribabu was standing just a few feet away when the bomb went off. He died instantly.
The blast was powerful enough to mutilate bodies beyond recognition. Rajiv Gandhi’s own body was identified mainly by his Lotto sneakers. Yet, by some freak accident of physics, Haribabu’s Chinon camera remained relatively intact. The strap was still around his neck.
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When the police found his body, they found the roll of film.
That roll of film changed everything.
What the 10 frames actually showed
The CBI's Special Investigation Team (SIT) developed the film in total secrecy. There were only 10 frames on that roll.
- The Crowd: Just general rally shots.
- Sivarasan: The one-eyed mastermind, looking eerily calm in a white kurta-pyjama.
- Dhanu: The suicide bomber. She was wearing an orange and green salwar kameez. In the photos, she looks like any other supporter, carrying a sandalwood garland.
- The Setup: Dhanu and another woman, Subha, standing near the barricade.
- The Moment: Rajiv Gandhi arriving, being greeted by supporters.
The most chilling picture is the one where Dhanu is seen bending down to touch Rajiv's feet. It’s a traditional mark of respect. But under her clothes, she was wearing a denim vest packed with RDX and thousands of steel pellets.
She reached for the toggle switch. The camera clicked. The world ended for 16 people.
Why these images were the "Silent Witness"
Without those Rajiv Gandhi assassination pictures, the investigation would have been a dead end. Seriously. The LTTE had spent months setting up deep-cover cells in Chennai. They had safe houses, fake identities, and local sympathizers like Nalini Sriharan.
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The photos allowed the SIT to create "Wanted" posters that were actually accurate. They didn't have to rely on shaky eyewitness accounts from people who were traumatized and bleeding. They had Sivarasan’s face. They had Nalini’s face.
The photos proved:
- The Conspiracy: This wasn't a lone wolf. The presence of a dedicated photographer proved it was a sanctioned, documented hit.
- The Identity of the Bomber: Dhanu’s face was captured clearly. Forensic experts later matched her skull (found at the site) to the woman in Haribabu's photos.
- The "Dry Run" Connection: Investigators later found pictures from a previous rally at Marina Beach where the same team was "practicing" getting close to the VIP.
It’s sorta haunting to think that if Haribabu had stood three feet further back, or if the camera had shattered, the killers might have vanished back into the Sri Lankan jungles, and we'd still be debating who did it.
The ethics of the "Gory" photos
You’ve probably seen the "after" photos too. The mangled remains of the site. The charred clothing. For decades, these images were circulated in magazines and later on the early internet. They weren't just for shock value; they were part of the judicial record.
In 1998, when the TADA court sentenced 26 people to death, those pictures were the backbone of the prosecution. They showed the proximity of the accused. They showed the lack of remorse.
Even today, those images spark intense debate. Some people feel they are a violation of the dignity of the deceased. Others argue that the brutal reality of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination pictures is a necessary reminder of the cost of political violence.
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What we get wrong about the photos
A lot of people think there is a "video" of the blast. There isn't. Not a real one. There are news reels of the aftermath and the arrival, but the actual explosion exists only in the still frames of a dead man's camera.
Another misconception? That the photographer was an innocent bystander. Haribabu wasn't just a guy with a camera. He was deeply embedded. He had been given the sandalwood garland to give to Dhanu. He was part of the inner circle. He just didn't realize that the "big event" he was filming would also kill him.
He was a tool used by Sivarasan, and in a poetic bit of justice, his last act was to provide the evidence that dismantled the very organization he supported.
The legacy in the digital age
In 2026, we’re used to everything being recorded. Every street corner has a CCTV. Every person has a 4K camera in their pocket. But in 1991, a roll of film was a miracle.
The case eventually led to the release of several convicts decades later, including Nalini and Perarivalan. The photos remain the only static, unchangeable truth in a case that has been bogged down by politics, appeals, and controversy for over thirty years.
If you are looking into the history of this event, the best way to understand the sheer scale of the security failure is to look at the photos of the crowd. You see the gaps in the ropes. You see the lack of a proper sterile zone. You see how easy it was for a woman with a bomb to walk right up to a world leader.
Next Steps for Research:
- To understand the forensic side better, look up the Jain Commission Report, which goes into detail about the security lapses captured in the photographs.
- If you're interested in the "before" story, search for the Marina Beach dry run photos, which show the LTTE team's preparation.
- You can also read D.R. Kaarthikeyan’s book, The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, written by the man who led the SIT and first saw those photos.
The visuals are heavy, so take them in small doses. They aren't just pictures; they are the moments a nation's trajectory shifted forever.