Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

TVI arrests reveal casteist, monetary nexus with bandit

By V.S. Palaniappan

Coimbatore Jan. 9. The Tamil Nadu Special Task Force has started investigations into an alleged financial nexus between Veerappan and ``Tamil extremists''.

Sources in the STF said the recent arrest of three members of the Tamizhar Viduthalai Iyakkam (TVI) revealed a casteist affinity and monetary transactions between Veerappan and these extremists.

The extremists, acted as ``manpower agents'', and were bringing innocent youth to the jungles for assisting Veerappan in carrying out abductions. They were on his pay roll for bringing food, medicine and even firearms from the plains, the sources said.

Based on their information, the Karnataka STF, who had remained clueless to the abduction of the former Minister, H. Nagappa, arrested Amalraj, Sahairaj and Modhala Muthu.

Raja alias Alexander (25) and Packiaraj of the TVI, who were arrested a couple of days ago, also belonged to the Vanniya Padayachi community of Veerappan, the sources said.

The casteist affinity and minor monetary transactions helped to forge a relationship between the two groups. ``It was not an association based on ideology, as had been projected all along''. ``Going by the activities in which these extremists were involved along with Veerappan it should be seen only as a criminal nexus'', the Additional Director-General (TN-STF), R. Nataraj, told, The Hindu, when contacted.

Raja was responsible for procuring air guns from Bangalore. Veerappan used the weapons for training the youngsters brought by the extremists. Air guns were used to avoid wastage of ammunition. Similarly, these TVI cadres, who posed as ``genuine Tamil extremists'' fighting for a cause, were in the practice of luring unemployed youngsters into their fold.

Later, the gang, pretending as if the youngsters were being utilised for an ``ambitious assignment'', forced them to commit an offence and kept them in the grip of fear. Left with no option, the youngsters started involving themselves in all ``unlawful activities'' of the gang, said the sources.

Interrogation revealed that the brigand had lured the TVI cadres, stating ``they would get so much money that they would not be able to carry it from the jungles, and cited the huge sums purportedly paid to the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army/Tamil Nationalist Retrieval Troops after the release of the Kannada actor, Rajkumar, (who had been kidnapped two years ago)''.

These arrests threw light on the monetary transactions between the top brass of the ``Tamil extremist outfits'' and Veerappan including Rs. 2 lakhs paid to one Joseph for getting a vehicle.

``Veerappan had planned to use the vehicle exclusively for abduction and for moving speedily from one jungle to another''. But, owing to the turn of events, he could not get the vehicle delivered. The probe was also getting closer into an alleged payment of Rs. 8 lakhs made to a top TVI functionary for arranging the logistics.

The STF officials hinted at the possibility of a couple of more arrests, to be made shortly, which would throw more light on the abduction of both Mr. Rajkumar and Nagappa as well as the monetary transactions.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• HC won't stay lottery ban
• Instil sense of security, Jayalalithaa tells police
• HC directive against seizing sold lottery tickets
• Mettur dam closed
• Patents bank proposed
• Buyers keep off Coonoor tea auctions
• Professors forum drops protest plan, holds meeting
• Advantages ample here, marketing makes the difference
• Senguttuvan's houses raided
• TVI arrests reveal casteist, monetary nexus with bandit

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu