In his latest cassette-message to officials, forest bandit Veerappan has set an eight-day deadline for Karnataka government to depute two emissaries of his choice for negotiations, failing which he has threatened to harm JD(U) leader H Nagappa, abducted by him 44 days ago.After hearing the cassette along with top police officials, Karnataka Home Minister Mallin Kharge told reporters that Veerappan has demanded the government should send Tamil activist Kolathur Mani and local leader Mahadevaswamy as emissaries within eight days.Kolathur Mani is lodged in Bellary Jail and Karnataka has ruled out deputing anyone in jail as an emissary. Kharge said Veerappan has again threatened to harm the hostage if his demands were not met, but declined to say if there was a ransom demand.When asked how the state would react, Kharge said he would consult CM S M Krishna, currently on a 129-km ‘‘peace and goodwill march’’ from the city to Krishnarajasagar and decide the future plans.In the cassette, Nagappa has told the state he cannot remain in the forest any longer as the kidnap crisis has entered 40th day. The cassette was found in Nagappa’s farmhouse in Chamarajnagar yesterday and was handed over to Kharge by Nagappa’s son Preetham today.
