The Hindu : Another body found in Chengadi forest?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2002

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Another body found in Chengadi forest?

By S. Rajendran

BANGALORE DEC. 10. The mystery surrounding the final moments of the former Karnataka Minister, H. Nagappa, has deepened with the reported recovery of a body in the same part of the Chengadi forest, 25 km from Kamagere in Kollegal taluk of Chamarajanagar district, where Nagappa's body was found.

Nagappa had been kidnapped by the forest brigand, Veerappan, and his decomposed body, bearing a bullet wound, was found on Sunday.

Sources told The Hindu that the body recovered today was that of a constable of the Karnataka Special Task Force (STF). It was highly decomposed and beyond recognition.

It was reported that two senior police officials from Bangalore, who were deputed to the STF after Nagappa's kidnap, were also "missing" from the STF headquarters for over a week along with some constables. In this context, the discovery of the body today lends credence to the theory that Nagappa was killed in an encounter between the Karnataka STF and Veerappan's gang.

Another report said a blood-stained cloth had been found about 250 m from the spot where Nagappa's body was found. It could have served as a bandage to an injured member of the Veerappan gang.

It was also mentioned that the body was not that of a Tamil Nadu STF man going by the distinct camouflage wear used by the Karnataka police. Ironically, members of the Veerappan gang also use similar clothes.

Unconfirmed reports from Chamarajanagar said the body found in the forest was that of Alexander alias Raja (25), said to be a police informer and who was missing from Martalli Doddi village under Ramapura police station limits since November 28.

Sources said a powerful weapon had been used to fire at Nagappa going by the exit wound caused by the bullet on his body. Veerappan was reportedly in possession of only country-made firearms. No bullet was recovered during the post-mortem examination of Nagappa's body, which was conducted by a panel of doctors. The examination was videographed, and Dr. Kiran Patel, son-in-law of Nagappa, and his mother, who is also a medical practitioner, witnessed it.

The Director-General and Inspector-General of Police, T. Madiyal, denied that another body had been recovered. "It is highly unlikely that a body could be found at the same spot since police investigators had thoroughly scanned the place."

The Minister for Home, Mallikarjuna Kharge, said the STF had commenced combing operations near Chengadi. He dismissed as rumours the reports that a body had been found there.

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