Bangalore: The operations to nab forest bandit Veerappan has suffered a major
setback with the elite National Security Guard (NSG) commandos returning to Delhi on
the ground that it has no task on hand right now.
Official sources said that the 150-member NSG contingent, which arrived at the
Gundal Special Task Force (STF) base last week to strengthen the operations and help
secure safe release of abducted former minister H Nagappa, decided to pack off as
the STF could not provide information on Veerappan's hideouts.
NSG commandos had been deployed for storming operations, sources said, adding, the
lone storming operation it undertook last week, ended in a fiasco, as the
intelligence information on a hideout of the bandit, turned out to be false.
Sources said the head of the NSG commando unit, Brigadier Raj Seethpathy informed
the Karnataka government that stationing of the contingent in the forest, waiting
for the STF to lead it to clues on brigand's hideout, would be a futile exercise.
Seethapathy said since the NSG contingent was not involved in the combing
operations, it can return as and when the STF gathers credible information on
Veerappan's hideout.
Sources however said about 20 commandos have been asked to stay back at the Gundal
base to launch storming operations in the event of an exigency.
Meanwhile, as the hostage crisis entered 20th day, the state has asked the STF to
slow down operations against the outlaw. Nagappa's family members as well as Janata
Dal (JD) – S and JD (U) had been pressuring government to halt operations, which,
they feared, would endanger the former minister's life.
PTI
