Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002 |
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Tamil Nadu
By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau
At that time, both the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments took a pro-active role and ensured that dialogue with the bandit was continuing, while Special Task Force operations on both sides were suspended. The Kannada film industry came to a standstill, but the two States were working together to secure the safe release of Mr. Rajkumar. Officials sources in Chennai and police officers who were then in the districts bordering with Karnataka say the two Governments realised the ``disastrous consequences'' that would follow if anything untoward happened to the matinee idol, who has a huge fan following. The initial anti-Tamil sentiments and minor clashes did not come in the way of the Governments working together. A senior police official says: ``Even the choice of emissaries was discussed together and the political leadership of the two States agreed that Nakkheeran Gopal be entrusted with opening negotiations with the brigand''. Mr. Gopal and his associates made five trips to the jungle and came back with new demands from the brigand every time. They had firsthand information of the condition of Mr. Rajkumar and were able to film him, in a bid to convince the people in Karnataka that he was safe and in reasonably good health. The team constantly provided him medicines and other assistance he needed. When Veerappan realised that the Gopal mission was not taking him anywhere, he and his then associates asked that the Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, P. Nedumaran, be sent as the emissary. He was able to deliver - get Rajkumar released, though a parallel team from Karnataka also reached Veerappan. The question now being raised is was why Tamil Nadu indifferent to the Nagappa abduction. Officials here say there was no concrete proposal or specific request from Karnataka for any help. ``They only called for suspension of the joint operations of the Special Task Forces and this was done. Only last month did the Karnataka Home Minister and a team call on the Chief Minister here. She made it clear that the objective must be to catch the brigand and in the process, rescue Nagappa. There was no question of sending any emissary from Tamil Nadu'', a top official explains. Apart from the change of government in Chennai, the current investigations into the Gopal mission and the strained relations between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over the Cauvery dispute seem to have worked against any possibility of a joint effort to save Nagappa. The officials here accuse the Karnataka Government of dragging its feet on the abduction and not initiating steps to either open negotiations early or launch a massive manhunt to nab Veerappan. Under these circumstances, the police here hope that ``this unfortunate killing" will spur the STFs of both States to turn the heat on the brigand and bring him to book before he resorts to his next move. "The rains are almost over, the drive is there and the Centre is ready to help. There can be no excuse now'', said a senior police officer just before stepping into the jungles off Sathyamangalam this morning. Officials of the STF said the force had been divided into nine teams and they entered various forest areas. The police were deployed in sensitive areas to prevent violence. State Transport Corporations suspended their services to Mysore, Bangalore and other Karnataka towns from this region. The police said move than a dozen lorries from Tamil Nadu and a State-owned bus were damaged in violence last night.
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