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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