Jaya suspects DMK hand

Insinuating that DMK president M. Karunanidhi and former PWD minister Durai Murugan, both on a five-day trip to Goa, had had a hand in the kidnapping of former Karnataka minister Nagappa by Veerapan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, in a statement issued here today said that the State Police had been directed to monitor the movements of both of them.

8216;8216;The police have been asked to watch whether they are going to Bangalore to meet Veerappan or his emissaries. They will also explore whether there is any secret relationship between the two DMK leaders and Veerappan,8217;8217; she said in the statement.

She further noted that 8216;8216;On August 6, Karunanidhi went to Bangalore with Durai Murugan and returned on August 10. The point is Durai Murugan and Veerappan both belong to the Vanniyar community. Only after Karunanidhi8217;s trip to Bangalore was Nagappa kidnapped8217;8217;.

She said though Karunanidhi had originally planned another visit to Bangalore, he cancelled it and had now gone to Goa. He might have changed his plans only to deflect any possible suspicion that could arise against him if he went to Bangalore now, she speculated.