Satellites can't track the dacoit down

Matthew X profrv at nex.net.au
Sat Aug 31 02:40:02 PDT 2002


STF suspends hunt for Veerappan


TIMES NEWS NETWORK [ FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2002  11:02:20 PM ]
KOLLEGAL/BANGALORE: Amid mounting pressure from various quarters, who fear 
threat to hostage H Nagappa's life, the Karnataka Special Task Force (STF) 
on Friday suspended its combing operations to track Veerappan.
STF sources told The Times of India the directive came from the state 
government on Thursday night. "Since Friday morning we are not carrying out 
any operations and have asked the men inside the forest to return to their 
respective camps," they added.
THE STORY SO FAR
• August 25: Sandalwood smuggler Veerappan abducts former Karnataka 
minister H Nagappa.
• August 26: Veerappan sends a cassette in which he says Nagappa will be 
killed if the government tries to rescue him.
• August 27: Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna meets Tamil Nadu Chief 
Minister Jayalalithaa to discuss the situation. They decide to ask the 
Centre for helicopters and sensors to track Veerappan.
• August 28: Karnataka and Tamil Nadu special task forces intensify combing 
operations to nab Veerappan. Members of the bandit's gang are sighted in 
the Ramapura forest range.
• Advocate Venugopal offers to act as mediator to negotiate Nagappa's release.
• August 29: There are reports of Veerappan sending another cassette with 
demands for the release of former Karnataka minister.
• Chief Minister S M Krishna, police deny receiving the second tape
• Fearing threat to Nagappa's life, Karnataka government suspends STF 
operations to track Veerappan
This was the demand of Veerappan in his first cassette of 54 second 
duration where he had threatened to kill Nagappa if combing operations were 
not stopped.

There were reports of Veerappan sending the much-awaited second cassette 
expected to contain his demands. Both government and the police denied it.
Apart from the government's efforts, the JD(U) leaders are also on the job 
as Nagappa is their partyman. JD(U) MLA P G R Sindhia is in touch with 
Suttur math seer Sri Shivarathri Desikendra, who in turn is tapping sources 
who can get in touch with Veerappan, sources said.
Meanwhile, advocate Venugopal, who has offered his services to mediate with 
Veerappan, has sent his "own message" to Veerappan in an interview to All 
India Radio, Coimbatore station. "I have cited reasons to Veerappan of my 
offering to be an emissary and also reminded him of the number of people 
who have suffered on account of him," Venugopal said.
Chief Minister S M Krishna, who called on Nagappa's family at Kamagere on 
Friday declining to say anything concrete on the issue, hinted of 
suspending the operations. "We will take necessary action required to get 
Nagappa back," he stated.
Queried on the kind of action, Primary and Secondary Education Minister B K 
Chandrashekar said: "Here action means strategy and the government is 
working out a suitable strategy which will ensure Nagappa's release."
Substantiating the statement, Krishna said: "Action necessarily does not 
mean only gun battle."
Later addressing the gathering, Krishna said the government was serious in 
its efforts to get back Nagappa safely. "We will use all tactics adopted by 
the government in a similar situation two years ago when Rajkumar was 
kidnapped," he maintained.
Notwithstanding the suspension of combing operations, three senior police 
officers - S T Ramesh (IGP), K Suresh Babu (IGP) and Gopal B Hosur (DCP) - 
were asked to report at the M M Hills base camp of STF. The officers left 
Bangalore following a message from DGP V V Bhaskar, who is personally 
supervising STF operations, dressed in commando style uniform and armed 
with binoculars and AK-47 rifles.
Around 10 police officers from the city police and several others from CoD 
and KSRP have been drafted for the STF work. Gopal Hosur, who had served in 
the STF earlier had survived an attack on him by Veerappan from a close 
range 10 years ago. However, Hosur's colleagues, Harikrishna (SP) and 
others were shot dead. A bullet was stuck in Hosur's body, which was 
operated and removed.
Related stories
  Satellites can't track the dacoit down
  Nedumaran ready to negotiate with Veerappan
  The brigand's area of operation    The story so far
  Sandalwood smuggler's road to notoriety 





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