The Hindu : Veerapan `promises' to release Nagappa soon

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 27, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Veerapan `promises' to release Nagappa soon

By Laiqh A. Khan

The gunman, Puttananja, who confronted Veerappan at the farmhouse of the former Minister, H. Nanjappa, at Kamagere in Chamarajanagar on Sunday.

KOLLEGAL (Chamarajanagar Dt.) Aug 26. Barely hours after the family celebrated the naming ceremony of a newborn, a pall of gloom descended on the farmhouse of the former minister, H. Nagappa, on the outskirts of Kamagere village, about 15 km. from here.

After ensuring that the 200-odd relatives, who gathered for the function, had left, the notorious brigand, Veerappan, and eight of his armed henchmen entered the secluded farmhouse. Brushing aside the resistance from Mr. Nagappa and the emotional pleas of his wife, he led the 66-year-old former minister away at gunpoint. The swift operation, which bore the stamp of Veerappan's clinical planning and execution, transformed the festive occasion into a frightening scenario.

Narrating the sequence of events, Mr. Nagappa's wife, Parimala Nagappa, who is yet to recover from the shock, told The Hindu that the drama occurred in less than 10 minutes. "A few shots were fired outside and inside the house. I remember seeing Veerappan take away my husband without listening to my pleas to let him go," she said.

A stranger, clad in a lungi, claiming to be a native of neighbouring Ganthalli village, came looking for Mr. Nagappa in the evening when he was away at Kollegal town. He wanted to complain to Mr. Nagappa that a few people in his village were tormenting him over a land dispute. He left only to come back when Mr. Nagappa returned.

Mr. Nagappa's gunman, Puttananja, who was at the gate when the stranger returned, led him to the portico of the farmhouse and asked him to wait as Mr. Nagappa was on the telephone. But he scampered towards the gate and waved at somebody on the road. Within minutes, six to eight gun-wielding men strode into the farmhouse. The gunman bolted the front door and alerted the family. "The men started banging on the door. Next, they smashed the windowpanes. One of them started hacking away the grills of the window with an axe. I took cover in the anteroom and fired at them," Mr. Puttananja said.

But the gang entered the house by breaking open the window. The men bolted the anteroom from outside confining him. They moved swiftly into the house and jostled Mr. Nagappa. "Veerappan himself was standing in the hall. He asked my husband to go with them. He pointed the barrel of the gun at my husband's neck," Ms. Nagappa said.

She pleaded with the brigand to let Mr. Nagappa go, but to no avail. "He stared at me and dragged my husband away. My husband has diabetes and is nursing a knee pain. He went away barefooted," Ms. Nagappa said.

Mr. Nagappa's daughter, Priyanka, grandson, Sabaan, personal secretary, Shivumurthy, driver, Mahadevaswamy, and an aide, Kumar, were also present in the house. After the abduction, they rushed to the village to summon help.

But, by the time people were alerted, Veerappan and his men had disappeared into the woods along with Mr. Nagappa.

Soon, a large crowd gathered outside Mr. Nagappa's house. A Tamil Nadu State Transport bus, which was passing by, was waylaid by the mob and set afire. More than half an hour after they left, Veerappan and his gang knocked at the gates of another farmhouse, which is two km. away. The farmhouse is owned by one of Mr. Nagappa's acquaintances, Shivarudrappa. Veerappan is said to have introduced himself as Veerappa to a labourer, Guruswamy, who opened the gates. "Mr. Nagappa was sitting outside the gate, and four to five armed men had surrounded him. Veerappan asked me to give Mr. Nagappa a pair of slippers. I parted with mine. Next, he wanted me to fetch water for everybody. All of them drank their fill and took water in a pot."

A bruise was noticed on Mr. Nagappa's arm, which was bleeding. Medicine was applied on it and his torn shirt was pinned at the farmhouse.

Mr. Guruswamy told The Hindu that the bandit was calm. He bore no anger towards Nagappa.

On the contrary, Veerappan had a word of consolation for his wife to be conveyed by Mr. Guruswamy. "He gave me a cassette, and asked me to hand it over to Ms. Nagappa. Tell her not to worry. I will release him after a few days," Veerappan is believed to have told Mr. Guruswamy.

Mr. Guruswamy said all the gangsters were in olive green fatigues. Each of them had a gun and a torch.

Though Guruswamy offered to accompany Mr. Nagappa, Veerappan turned it down.

They headed towards the Burude forest range and disappeared in the darkness.

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