M A I N   N E W S

STF resumes drive to nab Veerappan

CHENNAI, Nov 20 (UNI) — The Tamil Nadu Government’s Special Task Force (STF) today resumed operations to nab elusive forest brigand Veerappan, who had released Kannada film star Dr Rajkumar last week after holding him hostage for 108 days.

Announcing this, state Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said a decision to clear the decks for the STF to relaunch the operation, which was put on hold after the brigand had kidnapped the Kannada star, was taken at a high-level meeting with top civil and police officials at the secretariat this morning.

As in the past, the State STF would carry out the operations in coordination with the STF of Karnataka, he said, adding that if necessary, the two governments would seek assistance from the Centre.

Asked whether the two governments would seek the help of the Army to nab the outlaw who had been eluding the dragnet for the past two decades, Mr Karunanidhi said all these issues would be discussed with the Centre.

He said the force would be led by STF IGP V. Balachandran and reinforced with additional personnel, including DIG Tamilchelvan, who was injured in an encounter with Veerappan some time ago, SP Ashok Kumar Doss, who had been involved in previous “anti-Veerappan” operations, SP, Periaayya and SP Sylendrababu.

Mr Karunanidhi rejected an Opposition demand for a White Paper on Rajkumar’s abduction issue on the plea that a lot of things had already appeared in the press.

He denied that the state government was soft towards Veerappan. On the release of Tamil Tada detainees in Karnataka prisons, he said he respected the Supreme Court’s verdict which had effectively prevented their release.

Mr Karunanidhi said a decision to increase the number of STF camps in the Tamil Nadu side and augmenting the force with additional weapons and personnel was also taken at today’s meeting.

On the plea by Tamil National Movement leader P. Nedumaran that the government should not resume STF operations till the Sadhasiva Commission of inquiry completed its job, the Chief Minister said there were differences of opinion among various leaders on this issue and he could not answer all questions in this regard. Moreover, the Sadhasiva Commission’s role was entirely different from that of the STF, he clarified.

On Veerappan’s alleged links with the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mr Karunanidhi said whether it was the LTTE or any other extremist outfit fighting for the cause of a separate Tamil nation, the government would crush such illegal activities.

BANGALORE (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna on Monday rejected in the state Assembly opposition demand for a White Paper on the Rajkumar kidnap crisis and developments related to the actor’s release from forest brigand Veerappan.

Responding to the demand by the BJP and the JDU, he also turned down the plea for circulating the correspondence between the Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the hostage crisis and the contents of audio and video cassettes sent by the fugitive setting out his demands.

NEW DELHI (TNS): The president of the All-India Anti-Terrorism Front (AIATF), Mr M.S. Bitta, on Monday urged the Tamil Nadu Government to take immediate steps to arrest Veerappan.

The AIATF, which held a demonstration outside the Tamil Nadu Bhawan here, submitted a memorandum to the state Chief Minister, Mr M. Karunanidhi.

Mr Bitta urged the Tamil Nadu Government to take immediate steps to apprehend Veerappan, and said: “Veerappan, who has, for decades been carrying on his terrorist and immoral activities, not without the complicity and connivance of your government, as is alleged by the people. It becomes incumbent, as such, for you to arrest the bandit and his gang, so as to come out clear.”