Bangalore: The combing operations of Special Task Force (STF) of Karnataka and Tamil
Nadu to hunt down elusive forest bandit Veerappan were intensified on December 10,
two days after the body of slain Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) leader H Nagappa was
found.
"The joint operations are in full swing," a top police official involved in
operations said, even as Karnataka security advisor T Srinivasulu held a high-level
meeting with STF officers at Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu.
Stunned by the macabre end to the 106-day-old Nagappa hostage crisis, the joint STFs
are currently engaged in further fine-tuning the anti-Veerappan offensive, in the
midst of a mounting public fury against the bandit.
Declaring that it is determined to catch Veerappan dead or alive, the Karnataka
government last night enhanced the reward on his head from Rs one crore to Rs two
crore, and urged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to convene a meeting of Chief
Ministers of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in whose forest territories the
brigand operates.
Karnataka had suspended operations against Veerappan in its efforts to find a
negotiated end to the hostage drama, which however took a bloody turn, with Nagappa
being slayed much to its embarrassment.
Meanwhile, situation in Chamarajnagar, the home district of Nagappa, the scene of
mob fury on December 9 prior to the funeral of the former minister, was limping back
to normalcy with no untoward incident reported since December 9 night, police said.
Karnataka director general of police T Madiyal said police forces would continue to
be stationed there to keep a close watch on the situation.
PTI
