Veerappan: Beera of Ravan movie: robin hood for the poor

Veerappan

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Koose Muniswamy Veerappan
Veerappan leading his men around Namadalli forests
Born	January 18, 1952
Died	October 18, 2004
Alias(es)	Veerappan
Occupation	Elephant poacher Sandalwood smuggler
Spouse	Muthulakshmi
Children	3

Koose Muniswamy Veerappan (Tamil: கூஸ் முனிசாமி வீரப்பன், Kannada: ಕೂಸ್ ಮುನಿಸ್ವಾಮೀ ವೀರಪ್ಪನ್ ಗೌಂದೆರ್, January 18, 1952 – October 18, 2004) commonly known as Veerappan, was a notorious dacoit, or robber bandit, of India. He was active for a period of years in a broad swath of land covering 6,000 km² in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. He long defied three state governments andIndian Border security paramilitary forces, maintaining at one point a small army numbering in the hundreds.

He was wanted for killing approximately 184 people,^[1] including senior police and forest officials, poaching about 200 elephants, andsmuggling ivory worth US$2,600,000 and sandalwood of about 10,000 tonnes worth US$22,000,000. He had a price of Rs. 50 million (Rs. 5crore or US$1.1 million) on his head, but evaded arrest for 20 years until he was killed by police in 2004.^[2]

Contents  [hide] 1 Early years 2 Robin Hood image 3 Special task force 4 Religion 5 Death 6 Timeline 7 Cultural references 8 References 9 See also

[edit]Early years

Koose Muniswamy Veerappan, alias Veerappan, was born at 08:17 hrs (IST) on January 18, 1952 in Gopinatham village in Karnatakato a family of cattle-grazers. He was commonly known as "Molakai" in his childhood days by the locals.

His gang of forty members indulged in killing and kidnapping, taking revenge^{[citation needed]} for what government officials had done to the local people who lived near the forest. Most of his victims were police, forest officials, informers and movie stars. He felt the police were responsible for the suicides of his sister Mala and brother Arjunan. He was also known for his kidnapping of prominent people for ransoming, starting with a forest official in 1987. He trapped and brutally killed senior Indian Forest Service [IFS] officer Pandillapalli Srinivas on November 10, 1991 in the Namadalli forests of Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagr district. He also killed Harikrishna IPS, senior police officer, Shakeel Ahmed, along with others on August 14, 1992 near Meenyam of Kollegal taluk by ambushing the police party in a raid.

He married Muthulakshmi, in 1991. He had three daughters Yuvarani,Prabha and another.

[edit]Robin Hood image

Veerappan had a Robin Hood-like image as a social bandit among some villagers adjoining his native village Gopinatham.^[3] Sympathetic villagers are said to have covered for him and kept him informed of police activity. They also provided food and clothing to the gang. However, the villagers said they helped him out of fear of reprisal, and that Veerappan helped the villagers with money only to protect himself from being captured. Veerappan is known for being ruthless to villagers who provided the police with information.

[edit]Special task force

In 1990, the Karnataka government formed a Special Task Force to capture him and put an end to the menace. Soon after, the task force captured several of Veerappan's men. In February 1992, the special task force killed his lieutenant Gurunathan. SI Shakeel Ahmed was single-handedly responsible for Gurunathan's capture. Three months later, Veerappan attacked the Ramapura police station of Kollegal taluk in the Chamarajanagar district, killing several policemen and capturing arms and ammunition. In August 1992, Veerappan laid a trap for SP Harikrishna and SI Shakeel Ahmed and killed them along with four others. In 1993, the task force arrested his wife Muthulakshmi.

Indian actor Dr. Rajkumar was kidnapped by Veerappan in 2000. He was held for more than 100 days before his eventual release.

On February 17, 1996, he ambushed a team of Tamil Nadu STF personnel from a high ground while they were on their patrol vehicle. The police were able to counter attack and called for backup. The ambush which took place in the evening claimed the life of a Police Constable named Selvaraj from Madurai and seriously injured other police officers including Police officer Tamilselvan. By the time the Karnataka police arrived the bandit and his crew had fled.

A little over a year later, on July 12, 1997, he kidnapped nine forest officials at a place called Marapala in the Burude forests of Kollegala taluk,Chamarajanagara district. He made demands for releasing them, including amnesty, but none were met. The hostages were released without being harmed in the last week of August the same year.

On July 30, 2000, Veerappan kidnapped the famed southern Indian film star Rajkumar.^[4] This placed the Karnataka government in a political dilemma of whether or not to call in the army. The decision was that to do so would set a poor precedent. Thus, Rajkumar was held for 109 days and was finally released without harm on November 15, 2000. There were allegations by several people that about 500,000,000 rupees were paid to Veerappan for the safe release.^[5] A police official later suggested that 300,000,000 rupees ($6.5m) had been paid for his release.^[4]

On August 25, 2002, Veerappan abducted H. Nagappa, a former state minister. Nagappa was found dead in the forest three months later. The reward offered by the Karnataka state government was increased to 50,000,000 rupees (US $1.25 million at that time.

[edit]Religion

Veerappan attended the Bannari Amman Kovil temple regularly and was known to be a strong devotee to Kali, a Goddess in Hinduism. It is also said that he built a Kali temple. Veerappan belonged to the Vanniar caste. Some people of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which is based on that Vanniar caste, hoisted a half-mast flag of their party on the death of Veerappan.

[edit]Death

On October 18, 2004, following a tip-off, Veerappan and his two associates were allegedly killed after being arrested by the Tamil Nadu State Special Task Force, near the village ofPapparapatti in Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu.^[6] Veerappan's wife claimed that he had been arrested a few days earlier, interrogated and killed by the police (Veerappan had repeatedly threatened, if ever brought to trial, to point a finger at every policeman and politician he had bribed to ensure his three-decade long run from justice).

According to media reports, postmortem photos of Veerappan with a bullet hole above his left eye seemed to contradict the official story that the STF, lying in ambush, stopped the ambulance Veerappan and his gang was traveling in, offered them surrender and gunned them down when someone from inside the van opened fire.

Veerappan was buried in the village of Moolakadu, Tamil Nadu. The police said they did not let the burial take place in his home village in Karnataka, fearing the large crowds that had gathered there. Although the police had planned for a cremation, this was objected to by the relatives of Veerappan suggesting that exhumation would be required if there was ever a subsequent investigation into his death. Thousands of people turned out for the funeral, while others were kept away from the burial ground by heavy security.^[7]

Rumors persist that Veerappan may have stashed vast sums of money and treasure, in secret forest caves, which remain undiscovered.^[8]

[edit]Timeline

Timeline of Veerappan's activities:^[9]

• 1970
  • Joined a gang of poachers.
• 1986
  • Arrested and lodged at Boodipada forest guest house but escaped under mysterious circumstances (reportedly bribed a police officer).
• 1987
  • Kidnapped and hacked forest officer Chidambaram. Kidnapped and killed 5 members of a rival gang.
• 1989
  • Killed 3 forest personnel of Begur forest range.
• 1990
  • Killed 2 police personnel as revenge for killing of 2 members of his gang.
  • Killed another 13 police officials of Karnataka. The Karnataka government constitutes Special Task Force (STF) to catch Veerappan.
  • Shot and beheaded Karnataka deputy conservator of forests, Srinivas as revenge for Veerappan's sister Mala's suicide (the victim's head was traced 3 years later)
• 1992
  • Attacked a police station in Ramapura, killing thirteen policemen and stealing arms and ammunition. STF killed 2 gang members in retaliation
  • Trapped STF police official Harikrishna, SI Shakeel Ahmed and 25 constables through a false informant. Killed 29 of the party using hand grenades and bombs.
• 1993
  • Blew up a bus of 43 passengers including police and civilians, using a landmine.
  • Killed 17 policemen of Karnataka special SP Gopal Hosur's party.
  • Tamil Nadu government deploys Border Security Force (BSF)
  • Joint operations of BSF and STF arrested 9 gang members and killed 6. Three policemen were killed.
  • Veerappan requested amnesty. Victim's relatives opposed any government negotiations
• 1996
  • Killed a police informer.
  • Killed another 19 police personnel.
  • Assassinated police official Tamilselvan and killed a constable as revenge for the suicide of Veerappan's brother Arjunan in police custody.
• 1997
  • The gang kidnapped wildlife photographers Senani & Krupakar.
  • Apparently killed heir apparent 'Baby' Veerappan.
  • Kidnapped and released another photographer Krupakar.
  • Kidnapped and executed 9 Karnataka Forest officials from Burude forests.
• 2000
  • Kidnapped Kannada film actor Dr. Rajkumar. Released him after 109 days (ransomed).
• 2002
  • Kidnapped and allegedly killed former Karnataka minister H. Nagappa. There are other sources, including police of Karnataka who claim that the bullet in the body of the former minister was from a rifle used by the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force (possibly the rifle used was stolen from Tamil Nadu task force).
• 2004
  • Killed, presumably by Tamil Nadu State Special Task Force members

[edit]Cultural references

Veerappan was the inspiration behind some films and their characters.

• The character of Veeran (played by Govind Namdeo) in the Hindi film Sarfarosh (1999). The character is of a terrorist who arms the forest-dwellers with rifles.
• The character of Durga Narayan Chaudhary (played by Sushant Singh) in the Hindi film Jungle (2000). The character is of a forest gang leader who kidnaps a bus full of passengers, kills some of them and holds others to ransom.
• Veerappan, the film directed by Prashant Pandey and produced by Ram Gopal Varma is under production currently. ^[10][11][12]
• There were scores of regional films in Tamil and Kannada than had Veerappan as its antagonist like the Tamil movie Captain Prabhakaran and Kannada movie Veerappan, all of which were super hits.
• Makkal TV had aired TV serial based on Veerappan's life called Santhanakaadu (means Sandal Wood forest in Tamil). Karate Raja played Veerappan and Goutham directed the serial. The serials sheds some light on the positive side of Veerapan as well as their own presumed version of how Veerapan was killed which is by poisoning.
• The Malayalam Actor Mamukkoya did the title role in the comedy film Korappan, the great (2001) which depicted him as Veerappan.
• The character of Veeraiya(played by Vikram) in the Tamil film Raavanan(2010) resembles strongly to the life of Veerappan.

Books on Veerappan

• Veerappan: India's Most Wanted Man by Sunaad Raghuram. The film Let's Kill Veerappan is based on a chapter in this book.

Mind game to gundown veerappna: Vilan movie SP plans his wife to go back to beera

"It was our turn to deceive Veerappan"

By G. Satyamurty and V.S. Palaniappan

— Photo: K. Ananthan

COIMBATORE, OCT. 20. "It was a psychological operation. Our low-profile during the past 10 months, lackadaisical appearance and apparent ineptitude lulled Veerappan into complacency," the Commandant of the Special Task Force, Additional Director-General of Police K. Vijay Kumar, said today.

"It was the escalation of the level of complacency that made him enter the plains" knowing fully well that "he would be virtually a fish out of water."

In an interview The Hindu at the Sathyamangalam STF camp, about 90 km from here, Mr. Vijay Kumar recounted the factors that contributed to the downfall of the elusive brigand on Monday night.

"We deliberately kept a low profile. It was a conscious decision," he said. Another important decision was "not to be a bull in a china shop. There would be only specific arrests and specific surgical action. We ensured that the protracted disappointment and frustration never led to any distraction among the rank and file of the force. In the last 15 years, we had been deceived by an overcautious Veerappan and it was our turn to deceive and lure him to the trap."

Informants activated

After taking over as the STF chief last December, Mr. Vijay Kumar tried to revive "the half-dormant assets" (informants). By March-end, substantial intelligence was available regarding Veerappan's movements. The input revealed that he was "quite comfortable" in the M.M. Hills and its surroundings, especially around Nallur that was near his native place, Gopinatham. "He had very loyal people in that region, who would even lay down their lives for him."

While it was decided to "push him into thin forests in the east" (the Pennagaram and Yemanur forests), another plan to "wean away" his lieutenant, Chandre Gowda, using his affection towards his ailing parents was abandoned by May-June due to certain reasons. The eastern jungles were made a free ground for Veerappan to move about and he was allowed to build his contacts. But, by then "we had dumped or inundated our reinforcements on all sides, preventing his movement in other directions. To deceive him, we had even conducted a couple of raids and patrols in pockets where he was hiding and returned with empty hands, just to give an impression that the STF was still not able to trace his whereabouts."

"By then we came to know that Veerappan was suffering from some eye ailment. But then he was hesitant to come to the plains for treatment. To make it uncomfortable for him, we peppered the entire Nallur region — from Nallur to the Cauvery, for a stretch of 20 to 25 km — with 30 to 40 groups of STF personnel, who would be present all the time."

Combing operations

Mr. Vijay Kumar said this forced the bandit to seek a different hideout. "We were holding the enemy's ground. I would consider this as the most important strategy that contributed to his fall."

Later, the STF, which was present in the Pennagaram forests, even up to Natrampalayam was directed to go north. Thus, a virtually "free zone" was created for him "without making him suspicious." Instead of regular combing operations, once in a way a sort of "bush bashing" was undertaken so that he would believe that "vacating the zone by the STF was not deliberate."

Mr. Vijay Kumar admitted that the STF's knowledge of "internal squabbles" in the gang (with Veerappan losing trust in Sethukuzhi Govindan because of an ego clash over leadership and also in Sethumani for his inconsistency in staying in the jungles) helped. Velladurai, an STF Sub-Inspector, infiltrated the gang, posing as a sympathiser of an armed revolution, and inveigled the gang to the ambulance. He succeeded in assuring all help, including manpower, logistics and even asylum, if required to the bandits. Veerappan was favourably disposed towards such armed revolutionaries and had the backing of like-minded persons in his community, especially in the Dharmapuri, Salem and Cuddalore belt.

Mr. Vijay Kumar said the help to Veerappan from villagers had come down of late. "But we never used the medical camps that we organised and the various welfare measures for the tribal people to tap intelligence. We never expected anything in return but it helped in considerably reducing his support base."

Veerappan shot dead: anti climax in ravan

Veerappan shot dead

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

A file photo of the elusive forest brigand Veerappan. — AP

CHENNAI, OCT. 18 . The elusive forest brigand Veerappan was shot dead by the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force (STF) late tonight. At least four persons, including possibly his close aide, Sethukuzhi Govindan, are believed to have been killed in the exchange of fire in jungles in Dharmapuri district, which borders Karnataka.

Police sources here said that the bodies of those killed in the shootout were being brought to the plains and could reach Dharmapuri early on Tuesday morning. The incident took place between Padi and Papparapatti around 11 p.m. The sources said they had information that apart from Govindan, Madhegowda and a Tamil extremist, Sethumani alias Sethumalai, were killed. An STF party led by a Deputy Superintendent of Police carried out the operation, apparently on a tip-off that Veerappan was being rushed in an ambulance for medical attention to the plains.

The hunt for the 60-62 year-old Veerappan had gone on for well over a decade and was intensified whenever he indulged in brutal killings or hostage taking. Kannada matinee idol Rajkumar was among his most recent hostages. Despite an all-out effort by both the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Governments, the brigand was elusive all these years. At least about 130 persons were killed as also 2,000 elephants in the Veerappan gang's operations in the jungles between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Soon after Mr. Rajkumar's release, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu intensified their operations and the two STFs were assisted by the Central Reserve Police Force along with a team of commandos. But the operations proved futile.

The police in both States maintained that it was difficult to track him down in the dense 6,000-sq km forest area. After committing a crime in Tamil Nadu, he would get into the jungles of Karnataka or even Kerala. Though he was reportedly sighted on a few occasions, the STF could not get him dead or alive. After a killing incident in 1987, Veerappan became notorious, but the real hunt was stated to have begun from 1990. Since then, there had been periodic episodes of kidnap, demands, negotiations and intensified search, and then no news at all.

Veerappan earned notoriety as a sandalwood smuggler, in addition to looting ivory after killing elephants. When the laws governing forest wealth were tightened, Veerappan took to hostage-taking for ransom. He used the funds to keep himself going and buy provisions and other requirements from villagers. Most of the villages in the jungles were almost under his control — some found his money useful and others were too afraid of tipping off the police. Informers were invariably killed.

Initially, the brigand was supposed to command a gang of over 100 persons. But, over the years, due to the frequent police operations and the necessity of keeping the numbers small to avoid detection while in movement, it dwindled to anywhere between four and six.

What caused concern to the Tamil Nadu police was the involvement of some Tamils extremist groups with the brigand. This was evident during the Rajkumar kidnap drama in 2000.

Though there were offers by the Tamil Nationalist Movement leader, P. Nedumaran, and R.R. Gopal, Editor,Nakkheeran, to negotiate his surrender, this was not possible because no government was prepared to grant Veerappan an unconditional pardon, which he demanded.

The Tamil Nadu STF is currently headed by the Additional Director-General of Police, K. Vijay Kumar, who was earlier Chennai Police Commissioner. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, has congratulated the STF on the operation. She hailed the police for their determined effort at bringing the curtains down on the dreaded smuggler.

Good news: Jayalalithaa

Ms. Jayalalithaa said: "It is with the sense of great pride and fulfilment that I wish to announce to the people of Tamil Nadu the good news that the notorious forest brigand, bandit, murderer and dacoit Veerappan, along with his entire gang has been shot dead by the STF on October 18 in a daring and intrepid operation, bringing to a conclusion the manhunt that has been on for nearly two decades."

She congratulated every member of the STF and the Tamil Nadu police for their valour and professionalism.

Veerappan: Anatomy of a life of crime

Anatomy of a life of crime

By Our Tamil Nadu Bureau

DHARMAPURI, OCT.19. Veerappan, who was born at Gopinatham in Kollegal taluk of Karnataka, took to a life of petty crime such as poaching and tree felling at the age of 12. Soon enough, the lure of money made him a full-fledged criminal. He took to murder and abduction shortly thereafter.

Veerappan started off life in the major crime league by plundering forest wealth, joining hands with Xavi Gowde. The focus was primarily on elephant tusks, which fetched big money and led the bandit to felling elephants ruthlessly.

The growing demand for sandalwood soon led him to sandalwood smuggling at the age of 18. In his bid to overcome official resistance and to silence law enforcers, Veerappan targeted forest officials and police officials who stood in his way. His list of enemies grew.

Veerappan's first escape from the law came in 1965, after forest officials arrested him for killing an elephant. In due course, he formed his own gang, posing a challenge to both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The murder of a number of forest personnel during three successive years from 1984 turned the attention of the media as well as the State Governments on him.

Escaped from police net

On a visit to Bangalore in December 1986 during the SAARC summit, he was arrested by the police. But once again he escaped. The subsequent murder of forest ranger, Chidambaram, near Erode, drew nationwide attention.

The killing of five persons from his native village in 1989, the abduction and release of five forest personnel in June 89 and the killing of a forest guard in August `89 meant that he was not out of the limelight for long.

These incidents brought home the need for an organised and sustained effort to contain, if not arrest a growing criminal force. Consequently, a special wing of the police came into existence in 1989, both in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, charged with the mission of apprehending Veerappan.

Task force set up

The high-profile murders of the Karnataka Deputy Conservator of Forests, Srinivasan, in 1991, the Karnataka Superintendent of Police, Harikrishnan, in 1992 and sub-inspector, Shakeel Ahmad, in 1992, which put Veerappan on the front pages of the newspapers, led to the setting up of the Special Task Force.

The Special Task Force formally came into existence in 1993 after a landmine attack on the Superintendent of Police, Gopalakrishnan, and his team at Palar near Mettur during a combing operation.

Such became his notoriety that a battalion of the Border Security Force was requisitioned in 1993 to conduct operations against him. Veerappan while carrying out his criminal operations kept insisting on pardon and general amnesty, which none of the Governments could promise. The beheading of hapless villagers suspected of being informants made Veerappan a dreaded name in the Western Ghats.

His forest offences since 1978 included the killing of nearly 2,000 elephants for their tusks.

Veerappan is estimated to have killed 77 civilians at Gethesal, Thalavady, Hasanoor, Arepalayam, Pulinjur and nearby hamlets, nine police personnel from Tamil Nadu, one from the BSF and 24 police personnel from Karnataka. Karnataka lost 24 civilians and four forest personnel while the Tamil Nadu Forest department lost a range officer.

106 cases

There are 106 cases against him in Tamil Nadu, and 70 in Karnataka. His acquaintance with Tamil extremist movements such as the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA) and Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops opened up new avenues to pursue his thirst for money, resorting to several abductions. Notable among them were the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chidambaranathan, in 1994, the Karnataka matinee idol, Rajkumar in 2000, and the former Karnataka Agriculture Minister, H. Nagappa.

Veerappan: Beera of Ravan movie: robin hood for the poor

Veerappan as `Robin Hood'

By Suresh Nambath

P. Nedumaran, `Nakkheeran' Gopal, Rajkumar, Kalyani, Sukumaran, Veerappan and Sethukuzhi Govindan (partially seen) at the brigand's hideout during a failed mission to seek the release of the Kannada actor.

CHENNAI, OCT. 19. Although he started off as a petty criminal, in later years, under the limelight, Veerappan saw himself as Robin Hood. In this he was helped along by two organisations: the Tamil National Retrieval Troops (TNRT) and the Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA). Both of them are now banned.

The TNRT was but a front for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Tamil Nadu. The TNLA was a naxalite outfit with links to People's War. Leaders of both were on the run, and they found the jungle, in the company of Veerappan, a safe hideout. While kidnapping for ransom was the brigand's only motive, the links with the TNRT and the TNLA provided him with an ideological camouflage.

Political demands

Thus it was that after kidnapping the Kannada film star, Rajkumar, Veerappan, along with the TNRT and the TNLA, raised a host of political demands. These included justice for Tamil Nadu in the Cauvery issue, making Tamil the medium of instruction and measures to uplift the poor. Another demand was the freeing of Tamil extremists in prison.

In contrast to the demands aimed at self-aggrandisement that marked his early phase, Veerappan was now talking of Che Guevara and of changing the world. But, charges of money changing hands hung over the negotiations.

One of the people responsible for allying Veerappan with the Tamil extremists was T.S. Mani, an LTTE supporter, who, like the brigand, hails from Kolathur in Tamil Nadu. Mr. Mani, who was sympathetic to the TNRT cause, and who knew Veerappan from his days as a small-time poacher, was instrumental in the appointment of another pro-LTTE leader, P. Nedumaran of the Tamil Nationalist Movement, as the emissary to negotiate the release of Rajkumar. Other pro-LTTE elements in Karnataka also visited Veerappan during this period.

However, after the release of Rajkumar, when the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka revived the Special Task Force operations against Veerappan, the Tamil extremists moved out of the forest. The police later apprehended many of them.

Once he came under pressure from the STF, Veerappan preferred to move in a small group.

Monetary help

The Robin Hood image that some of the villagers had of Veerappan was largely on account of the monetary help he gave them in return for food stuff. As his contacts with the outside world increased, so did his interaction with the villagers. The atrocities committed by some of the STF personnel, seeking to extract information from the villagers, cast Veerappan in a good light by default.