BANGALORE JULY 31 : He was a 10 year lad when he shot first tusker near his home village — Gopinatham in Tamil Nadu. Since then, Veerappan has come a long way before kidnapping the Kannada matinee idol Dr Rajkumar.
In his career of over four decades, Veerappan has expanded his area of operation to over 6,000 square kms across Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. During this period, he is said to have shot dead over 500 elephants. Over 130 police personnel have been killed while trying to nab the dreaded brigand.
Some of the major incidents in Veerappan’s life :
1955 : 10-year-old Veerappan shoots down a tusker near Gopinatham.
Between 1955 and 1980 : Over 300 elephants were poached by Veerappa for tusks.
Between 1984 and 1986 : Four persons, belonging to the Karnataka Forest Department were killed by Veerappan.
June 1987 : Veerappan kidnaps Tamil Nadu Forest Official Chidambaram.
June 1989 : Five persons, who opposed Veerappan in his native village Gopinatham were shot down by Veerappan.
August 1989 : Karnataka Forest guard Moahaniah shot dead by Veerappan
August 1989 : Veerappan kidnaps three forest department personnels from Begur range and shoots them down.
January 1990: Tamil Nadu police shoots down two Veerappan supporters.
January 1990: Police launch a manhunt for Veerappan.
February 1990: Police recoveres sandal wood worth over Rs 1.5 Crore, which belonged to Veerappan at Silvekal forest.
February 1990 : Veerappan gang retaliates by setting fire to a bus and looting it.
April 9, 1990 : Veerappan attacks a group of Karnataka police near Hogenikals and shoots down Sub-Inspectors — Ramalingu, Jaganath, K S Dinesh and constable Shankar Rao.
April 1990 : Karnataka State Government forms Special Task Force (STF) to nab Veerappan.
May 1990 to September 1991 : STF intensifies operation against Veerappan and arrests more than 100 supporters of Veerappan. Police informer Katta Naik was brutally murdered by Veerappan.
November 1991 : Veerappan beheads Deputy Conservator of Forests Srinivas, after luring him through a surrender drama.
February 1992 : Veerappan kidnaps son of granite quarry owner Sampangiramiah and releases him after receiving a ransom of Rs 15 lakh.
February 1992 : STF kills Veerappan’s trusted lieutenant Gurunathan.
May 1992 : Veerappan attacks Ramapuram police station — kills five police personnel and decamps with arms and ammunition.
June 1992 : Four associates of Veerappan killed by the STF in an encounter.
August 14, 1992 : In a dreaded ambush near Meenyam, Veerappan kills six police personnel including Superintendent of Police Harikrishna and Sub-Inspector Shakeel Ahamed.
April 9, 1993 : Veerappn explodes a police convoy near Palar bridge killing 22 persons, including 15 police informers. Tamil Nadu Superintendent of Police Rambo Gopalakrishna escaped with serious injuries.
May 1993 : STF arrests Veerappan’s wife Muthulakshmi and child and remand them to the judicial custody.
May 24, 1993 : Veerappan attacks police personnel near Rangaswamy betta in MM Hills, killing six police personnel. SP Gopal Hosur escapes with serious injuries.
June 1993 : Six platoons of Border Security Force arrives at MM Hills to join the operation.
June 1993 : STF arrests 13 persons, including trustee of Malai Mahadeshwara Temple under TADA.
June 1993 : Veerappan has a narrow escape during an encounter while his trusted lieutenant Kamaraj was killed. Veerappan kidnaps a youth from Marali village.
July 1993 : Veerappan strangulates hisinfant daughter, fearing that child’s cry may attract police attention. STF arrests six followers of Veerappan.
August 18 – 1993 : In two separate encounters, STF gun down nine supporters of Veerappan.
September 1993 : STF kills four supporters of Veerappan.
October 1993 : In a joint operation, TN and Karnataka STF gun down four associates of Veerappan.
November 1993 : Eight Veerappan associates killed in encounter.
December 1993: Two Veerappan associates killed in encounter.
January 1994 : Veerappan’s trusted lieutenant Kolandai commits suicide. A police constable and Veerappan’s associate killed in an encounter.
February 1994 : Two of Veerappan’s associates killed in encounter.
March 1994 : Veerappan gang loots Baragur village.
August 1994 : Three Veerappan associates arrested near Coimbatore.
October 1994 : Veerappan gang kills five Soliga tribes at Gadde salu in Tamil Nadu.
December 1994 : Veerappan kidnaps six persons including Tamil Nadu DySP Chidambaram and later releases them. Baby Veerappan appears in public. While Veerappan escapes narrowly, his brother Arjunan was arrested by STF.
January 1995 : Three Veerappan associates surrender before police.
April 28, 1995 : Falkar Raju of Nellur killed.
August 8, 1995 : Veerappan gang strikes Bedaraguli village near Chamarajnagar and kills five persons.
August 9, 1995 : The gang guns down five more persons at Punajur village.
September 1995 : Veerappan’s brother Arjunan, associates Ayyan Dorai and Karangalur Rangaswamy commits suicide near T Narasipura, while the three were being taken by the police from Mysore to MM Hills after being produced before the Court.
November 1995 : Veerappan kidnaps three forest department personnel from Andiyur forest.
December 1995 : Veerappan kills a BSF personnel, a Tamil Nadu Sub-inspector and a police constable and decamps with arms.
April 1996 : Tamil Nadu SP Tamil Selvan injured in an ambush.
May 1996 : Veerappan associates meet PMK legislator G K Mani.
January 1997 : Veerappan offers through Nekkiran magazine to surrender, if the Government paid him compensation and withdrew cases against him.
April 21, 1997 : Baby Veerappan found murdered in Herekadu Halla forest.
July 13, 1997 : Veerappan kidnaps 10 forest department, releases one and sends message to Karnataka Government and offers to surrender. The hostages released after 43 days.
October 8, 1997 : Veerappan strikes again by kidnapping noted photographers Kripakar and Senani. Seven tourists were also kidnapped at Bandipur National Park. They were released after 14 days.
July 19, 1998 : Veerappan’s associate Madesh killed in an encounter near Kandappanayakana palya near Satyamangala.
August 23, 1998 : Two Veerappan’s associates killed in encounter.
April 28, 1999 : Veerappan abducts three Tamil Nadu forest personnel and demands Rs 5 Crore for release. But releases them later.
June 15, 2000 : The police informer Rangashetty and his friend Munishetty Doddi were shot dead in Kollegal taluk.
eom/Vinay Madhav.
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