Bangalore: The Karnataka government on August 31 gave "full powers" to the Special
Task Force (STF) to act "according to the situation" in operations against forest
bandit Veerappan but sought to keep under wraps its plans to send an emissary to
negotiate the release of Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader H Nagappa.
As the hostage drama entered the seventh day with no immediate end in sight, the
government still scouted for a suitable emissary who could embark on a mission to
the jungles to talk to Veerappan to break the deadlock.
The government was reportedly making behind-the-scene moves to find a negotiator but
on record, Karnataka Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge was unwilling to say whether
they were sending an emissary to the bandit.
"I can't tell you (on sending an emissary)," was all Kharge was ready to state as he
emerged out of a Cabinet meeting where the issue was understood to have been
discussed.
The government's primary concern was to secure Nagappa's safe release and the STF
would work towards this end, said Kharge, who later left for Gulbarga on a three-day
tour.
PTI
