Old Army hands to chase Veerappan: CM

Army men who have recently retired from service, after serving in the north-eastern states and in Maratha regiments are best suited for the job, Krishna said.

Taking a dig at the state police, he hinted they were, perhaps, not the right people to undertake such operations. ‘‘Most of the time, it was the other way round — Veerappan catches our policemen,’’ he said.

The CM did, however, appreciate the operations being carried out by the present head of STF, Jyothiprakash Mirji and Arkesh. ‘‘Now they have been able to mount pressure on Veerappan. He is now running for cover,’’ he said.

Krishna admitted that the Cauvery water dispute and the Veerappan issue give him sleepless nights. ‘‘The Veerappan menace has to end so that people of that area can live happily,’’ he said.

He asked Chief Secretary B.S. Patil, who was at the rally, to explore the possibility of involving ex-servicemen in STF operations. After former Minister Nagappa was killed in Veerappan’s captivity, NSG commandos were called in to nab the brigand. The commandos camped at MM Hills for a few days, but left empty-handed.

The rally was attended by ex-servicemen from different parts of the state. The CM gave away Rs 3 lakh compensation to each of the families of those who died in action.