Action against Veerappan halted

DIMBAM TAMIL NADU, July 16: The operations to arrest dreaded poacher Veerappan have virtually come to a standstill, as the Special Task F...

DIMBAM TAMIL NADU, July 16: The operations to arrest dreaded poacher Veerappan have virtually come to a standstill, as the Special Task Force STF personnel of Karnataka have been instructed to stay put in the camps till the Government comes out with its decision.

The Karnataka Government has even withdrawn STF personnel from sensitive areas like Dimbam where Veerappan used to operate. However, some personnel, most of them officers, have been redeployed in Bylore and Gundal as a precautionary measure to face any eventuality if Veerappan killed the hostages.

Meanwhile, investigations by The Indian Express revealed that the Forest Department team had entered Marpal forests to camp there for two days for salting operations and repair of the Marpal bridge.

Though the prime target of Veerappan was Range Forest officer Jayadevappa and other high-ranking officials, he kidnapped the team led by Velayudan, mistaking the tempo to be led by Jayadevappa.

Meanwhile, all the top officials 8212; the Deputy Conservator of Forest, the Assistant Conservator of Forests and the Range Forest officer 8212; have shifted their families from the Kollegal area. This has created resentment among the lower rungs.

Taluk Forest Employees Association president Basavaraj, reflecting the resentment, said all forest staff would not enter the forests till the Government ensured safe release of all the hostages.

However, the STF personnel are confident that Veerappan would not surrender in Karnataka, since his brother, Arjunan, who had surrendered to the STF in Tamil Nadu, met his death at the hands of the Karnataka STF while in police custody.

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It is suspected that Veerappan is holed up in the Buruda-Anthiyur forest area and no effort is being made by the STF and police to secure the release of the hostages.

Assistant Conservator of Forests Chandrashekhar said the forest staff had not lodged any formal complaint with the STF about the abduction even after four days since they feared that the situation would slip out of their hands. 8220;We apprehend that the lives of our personnel would be at risk and, therefore, we did not inform the STF about the developments.8221;

A meeting of the officials of the Karnataka STF was held at Dimbam this evening to discuss the role of the police and the forest personnel in the wake of the kidnapping.

However, the residents of Odeyarapalayam suspect a big conspiracy in the kidnap drama. The people, living in the forest area where Veerappan is active, see a ploy in Karnataka Forest Minister8217;s statements three months ago calling for Veerappan8217;s surrender and his statement about holding talks with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

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The residents suspect that the Government was arranging for a high-profile surrender of Veerappan on August 15. They are comparing the situation to the surrender of Phoolan Devi.

The talk of the town Dimbam is whether Veerappan would surrender or not and if the Government would accept all his demands. There were also heated discussions on whether the decision of the Government to give amnesty to Veerappan is correct.