Veerappan men meet Gopal

By Our staff Reporter,

ERODE, SEPT. 23. Two associates of forest the brigand Veerappan, who abducted the Kannada actor, Mr. Rajkumar, met the Government emissary, Mr. R.R. Gopal, early this morning in the Thalamalai forest area, Sathyamangalam, and took him to Zeerahalli village.

According to information at Sathyamangalam, the two took the Nakkeran editor and his two correspondents to the Zeerahalli area, where the brigand and others are stationed. Mr. Rajkumar and other captives were kept in a ``safe place''. The actor had developed slight back pain and fever. Medicines were administered to him and now he was keeping good health, the information stated.

Sources said Mr. Gopal might hold his final round of negotiations with Veerappan by tomorrow morning and after that the abducted persons might be released.

RI for brigand aides

Meanwhile, Mr. Noor Mohammed, sub judge-cum-assistant sessions Judge, Gobichettipalayam, awarded three years rigorous imprisonment to eight persons, said to be Veerappan associates.

The prosecution said when the Special Task Force was conducting combing operations at Kuthiraimaduvu near Puliamkombai village in the Sathyamangalam forests on July 25 1998, STF personnel arrested eight persons and recovered some country-made guns.

The police registered cases against them stating the eight used to supply foodgrains to Veerappan him and acted as his informants.

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