Day in the life of a Dacoit...Events that make Veerappan notorious PTI [ MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2002 11:31:06 AM ] COIMBATORE: Lying low for nearly two years after the sensational abduction of Kannada film star Rajkumar, the elusive forest brigand, Veerappan reportedly abducted a former Karnataka Minister on Sunday night, despite strict vigilance by the Special Task Force in the nearby areas. Following are the events due to which Veerappan gained notoriety and monopolised the forest areas in three states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and parts of Kerala. July 1987: A Tamil Nadu forest officer Chidambaram was kidnapped and lynched Jan 1989: Five members of rival gang were kidnapped and killed Aug 1989: Three forest personnel of Begur forest range of Tamil Nadu killed. Their mutilated bodies were recovered 19 days later Jan 1990: A sub-inspector and a head constable were shot by Veerappan gang, following gunning down of two of his members by Tamil Nadu police April 1990: In a first direct attack, Veerappan ambushed and mowed down three sub-inspectors, and a constable, including Dinesh, an officer, who had been 'hot on his trial' May 1990: Constituted Special Task force to nab the poacher Nov 1990: Shot and beheaded a deputy conservator of forest R Srinivas. Feb 20 1992: Son of a granite quarry owner kidnapped in Karnataka and Rs 1 crore ransom demanded. Quarry owner paid Rs 15 lakh as ransom May 20 1992: Swooped down on Ramapura police station, killing policemen and taking away a cache of arms. June 15 1992: STF killed four of Veerappan's gang in Nellur village. Veerappan sent a note saying "I will finish all of you". Aug 14 1992: Veerappan trapped STF SP Harikrishna and 27 police personnel. Bombed Harikrishna, Ahmed and four others. April 1993: A bus carrying Tamil Nadu police personnel was blown up near Palar in a landmine blast, killing 22 persons, including civilians. S P 'Rambo' Gopalakrishna was hurt in the attack. May 1993: Attacked Karnataka SP Gopal Hosur and party at M M hills, killing six policemen. Jul 1993: BSF began operations in the forest area, nabbed 19 members of the gang. Aug 1993: Series of encounters with BSF and Veerappan gang claimed lives of 18 gang members and three policemen. Few months later, Veerappan sent an audio cassette, seeking amnesty. December 1994: DSP, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Chidambaranathan, and two companions kidnapped from Coimbatore district. They escape on Dec 31 after 27 days under the cover of STF onslaught. Veerappan's brother, Arjunan and two gang members Ayyadurai and Rangaswamy, surrender. Nov 1995: Three forest officials kidnapped in Anthiyur forest in Erode. Ransom of Rs.five crore sought. Twenty days later, hostages set free after Rs.3.5 lakh was paid unofficially. Dec 1995: Veerappan attacks TN STF. Two personnel killed. The attack was in retaliation to the death of Arjunan and Rangaswamy in STF custody. Jan 1996: Attack on Tamil Nadu SP, Tamil Selvan and Party, killing a constable and injuring the SP Apr 1997: After a lull of nearly one year, the bullet ridden body of his heir apparent 'baby' Veerappan was discovered from the forest. Jul 1997: 10 forest personnel kidnapped. One sent back with a surrender offer on a cassette. Aug 5: Another hostage reached Chennai with the Tamil magazine Nakkeeran editor R R Gopal. Others released later. Dec21'98 Veerappan and gang attacked Vellituurpur police station in TN, decamped with nine guns, ammunition. After this major operations, Veerappan, with reduced strength of his supporters lay low and sought amnesty and held negotiations with Tamil Nadu government. Apr28 99 Another major attack - three forest officials were kidnapped near Hogenekkal in TN's Dharmapuri District sent letters and audio cassette sent to the district Collector. Jul 2000: Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar and four others, kidnapped from Doddagajanur guest house on July 30. One of the hostages Nagappa escapes. Negotiations through Gopal and other leaders, like P Nedumaran seeking release of the actor. The actor was released after 100 days. Immediately after the release, STF and police personnel from three states intensified search operations. Veerappan and his gang were reportedly spotted near Chinnampathy forest area, bordering Kerala and in an exchange of fire, the gang fled. Some bags with medicine and arms were recovered from the place. BSF, under DIG, Vijayakumar (now Chennai Police Commissioner) was summoned to assist the STF in catching the brigand. However, due to tension along the Indian border, the force was gradually withdrawn. STF was revamped under former DGP, W I Dawaram and searches were intensified in forest areas of Erode, Salem, Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts. Many gang members, accomplices and aides were arrested from various places and huge amounts of cash recovered from them during the operation. However, the brigand is still elusive and the sojourn continues. FRONT PAGE Veerappan threatens to kill Nagappa []Govt runs out of emissaries to deal with Veerappan []Nagappa's family critical of police []TOI edit: Veerappan Again []Veerappan's road to notoriety http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/default