The Hindu : Reward hiked for nabbing bandit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Reward hiked for nabbing bandit

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE DEC. 9. The Karnataka Cabinet decided here tonight to take up with the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, the question of convening a conference of Chief Ministers of the States in which the forest brigand, Veerappan, is operating, to discuss ways and means of eliminating his menace.

The day after the killing of the former Minister, H. Nagappa, in the captivity of Veerappan came to light, the Cabinet was for nabbing him at any cost. It raised the prize money payable to anyone catching Veerappan alive from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore. It was also decided to obtain logistic support from the Defence forces and the Union Home Ministry. The Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, briefed the press on the decisions taken by the Cabinet. It was also decided to convene a session of the State Legislature. Mr. Krishna said that it was being done as "all sorts of statements and accusations'' were being levelled after the death of Mr. Nagappa came to light. The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Chairman of the Legislative Council had been approached to decide on the date for the session.

The Chief Minister said that he could not contact the Prime Minister today as he was away in Gujarat, campaigning in the election. The Deputy Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, L.K. Advani, had contacted the State Government last night. To a question, he said Tamil Nadu was cooperating with Karnataka in the operations against Veerappan, and the presumption that it was not doing so was wrong. The Prime Minister would be contacted on Tuesday, and the Centre was sharing the State's concern and anxiety over the killing of Nagappa.

Mr. Krishna said the Government had also decided to consult experts on as to how to put an end to the Veerappan menace. "Intensified and organised efforts will be made.'' Talks had already begun with Tamil Nadu and Kerala on coordinating the operations against the bandit, he added.

To a question, the Chief Minister said that the Government was yet to receive the report of the post-mortem examination of the body of Mr. Nagappa. He did not want to speculate on the cause of death. He did not see any reason for ordering a CBI probe into the matter. The State police would investigate the matter.

The situation was returning to normality everywhere, and there was no reason for extending the holiday declared for schools and colleges even in Chamarajanagar District. He agreed with a questioner that the people who had gathered for the funeral came in the way of providing a State funeral to the slain political leader. The Cabinet mourned the death of Nagappa, and said that the State had lost a cultured and devout political leader.

Earlier, speaking to presspersons after his return from the Gujarat election campaign, Mr. Krishna said Veerappan would either be killed or nabbed by the joint security forces of the State Governments of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and that of the Centre. The special task forces of the two States had resumed operations. He dismissed the allegations of the Opposition parties that the Government had not taken adequate steps to secure the safe release of Nagappa. He refused to comment on whether Nagappa was killed by Veerappan or in an encounter between the bandit and the Tamil Nadu STF. It would be known only after the post-mortem report was ready, he said. He hinted that the Government might order an inquiry.

Mr. Krishna said he was prepared to face the political fallout of the abduction episode. He criticised the parties which pressured his Government to call off the STF operations. He also referred to the pressure from mathadhipatis and members of Nagappa's family. He expressed his grief over the death of Nagappa, and said his primary concern now was to maintain law and order.

The Chief Minister, who held a meeting with the Home Minister, Mallikarjun Kharge, and senior officials of the Police Department at the airport, said the State Security Advisor, T. Srinivasulu, would go to Coimbatore to discuss with the Tamil Nadu STF Commander, Walter Dawaram, stepping up of the joint operations.

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