Chennai: Tamil Nadu Special Task Force's (STF) joint operation with the Karnataka STF in Karnataka jungles to nab sandalwood smuggler Veerappan has been called off, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said.

This was done a month ago on a request from Karnataka government, Jayalalithaa said in a statement.

"Tamil Nadu STF is continuing its operations in the jungles in the state," she said.

The STF of both the states embarked upon the joint operations soon after former Karnataka Minister Nagappa was abducted by Veerappan in August last.

Denying reports that she had assured Parimala, wife of Nagappa, that she would consider sending Kolathur Mani as an emissary to secure Nagappa's release, Jayalalithaa said neither the family members of the abducted politician had requested her in this regard nor had she given any assurance to them.

She had only told them that Tamil Nadu government would consider helping Karnataka government in securing the release of Nagappa, if a request came from it.

She said it was against "press ethics to publish wrong reports on a ticklish issue like the hostage crisis" and her government was contemplating action against the papers, which had published such reports.

PTI