The Hindu : 'Nagappa was blind-folded and shot'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

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'Nagappa was blind-folded and shot'

By Our Staff Correspondent

The body of the JD(U) leader, H. Nagappa, who was found dead in the Chengadi forest on Sunday. — PTI

KOLLEGAL DEC. 9. The body of the former Karnataka Minister, H. Nagappa, who had been kidnapped by the forest brigand Veerappan, was laid to rest at his farmhouse at Kamagere, in Chamarajanagar district, this evening amid angry scenes, even as the post-mortem examination showed that he had been shot at from point-blank range.

Quoting one of the doctors who conducted the post-mortem examination, sources said that Nagappa was blind-folded and made to recline against a boulder before being shot. Eyewitnesses, who were part of the team which went into the Chengadi forests in search of Nagappa on Sunday, said he was found dead blindfolded, with his hands tied behind his back. But the examination could not establish the kind of weapon used and no bullet was found on the body.

A Janata Dal leader, Nagappa, was kidnapped from his house in Kamagare village of Kollegal taluk on August 25.

State honours rejected

Nagappa's last rites were performed at his farmhouse amid expressions of anger and grief. A mob went on the rampage in Kamagere, Ramapura, Cowdahalli, and other towns of Chamarajanagar district.

Family members rejected the "full State honours'' offered by the State Government for Mr. Nagappa and no Government representative was allowed anywhere near the farmhouse.

The former Ministers and JD(U) leaders, P.G.R. Sindhia, Byre Gowda, M.P. Prakash and Nage Gowda, were roughed up by villagers. The leaders were even locked up for some time. The Union Ministers belonging to the State, V. Srinivas Prasad and Ananth Kumar, were prevented from reaching the village. The Minister for Sugar, M. Mahadev, could not make it to the venue either.

Stone-throwing, arson

Earlier, there were emotional scenes at Ramapura as Mr. Nagappa's body was handed over to his family members. A huge crowd gathered around the van in which the body was to be taken to Kamagere and prevented it from leaving. The people demanded that they be allowed to have a glimpse of the body and, soon, grief gave way to anger.

A jeep parked at the Ramapura police station was set on fire and the mob went on the rampage, throwing stones and indulging in arson. Police burst teargas shells and fired in the air.

Similar scenes were witnessed all along the road from Ramapura to Kamagere. Three police vans following the van carrying the body were targeted. When the situation went out of control, police retreated from the scene. On reaching Kamagere, Mr. Nagappa's body was kept in the portico of his house for the people to pay their last respects. A shamiana erected outside the house was dismantled by the mob. The van which brought the body and a police vehicle were set afire.

A peaceful bandh was observed in Mysore city, Chamarajanagar, Kollegal, Gundlupet, and Yelandur taluks. Train services between Mysore and Bangalore were suspended.

In Bangalore, the Chief Minister, S.M. Krishna, said the STFs of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu had resumed their operations against Veerappan. The brigand would be either killed or nabbed by the joint forces of the Centre and the two States, he added.

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