Adivasi family caught between Veerappan, STF

By Our Staff Reporter

WALAYAR (Palakkad), FEB. 5. Mr. Ayyappan, an Adivasi who bought procured rice for forest brigand Veerappan last Friday when the latter and his 10-member gang visited his hut in the Puthupathy hamlet deep in the Walayar forests, is living in constant fear despite the security cover of the Special Task Force.

Mr. Ayyappan, 40, a pump operator, was approached by Veerappan and his gang last Tuesday for rice and other provisions. Since then, he had been helping the STF locate the areas where the gang had camped.

Mr. Ayyappan's mother, wife Kamala, brother Karuppan and his wife are living in the hut at present. They also fear possible harassment from security forces.

Mr. Karuppan confirmed seeing Veerappan and his gang and said the brigand spoke to his brother in Tamil. The gang members, all carrying guns, stood guard while Mr. Ayyappan went to get the rice. Veerappan was wearing a green and black dress.

The brigand asked Mr. Ayyappan whether he could provide them food. Mr. Ayyappan said there was no food at home and was asked to go and buy rice. As the nearest shop was a few kilometres away, he was asked to go on a bicycle. Mr. Ayyappan, however, said the cycle was punctured fearing police harassment if he helped the brigand. Veerappan then gave him Rs. 800 to repair the cycle and Rs. 500 to buy provisions.

Mr. Ayyappan cycled to the shop and bought 10 kg rice. He also telephoned the Madhukkarai police station and tipped them off about the brigand. Two policemen went with Mr. Ayyappan; however, they returned to the station saying they could not take on the Veerappan gang on their own and promised to come back with more forces. The police had asked Mr. Ayyappan to retain the gang there under the pretext that he would cook rice or make kanchi (gruel) for them.

As soon as Ayyappan reached his hut with the rice, the gang gave him Rs. 3,000 to purchase more rice. They told him they would return on Friday to collect the rice. It was all in Rs. 500 notes, Mr. Karuppan said.

They said the police came after a few hours and went in search of the gang, but found no trace of them. Since then the police took Mr. Ayyappan to various places in the forest to help find Veerappan and his gang. He was said to be under STF custody as he had not returned to his hut for the last three days.

Mr. Ayyappan's family fears that the gang will kill them as has happened in several similar cases. They also fear police harassment for helping Veerappan.

The STF personnel from Karnataka are guarding the hut and giving protection to the family. The STF is combing the surrounding areas for the gang.

Kerala police join operations

By Our Staff Reporter

MALAMPUZHA, FEB. 5. The Kerala police for the first time today joined the combing operations for Veerappan in the 90-km-long forests of the Malampuzha, Kava and Akamalavaram stretch of the district. A large posse of the Kerala Armed Police (KAP) began combing operations in the Malampuzha forests at the edge of the Palakkad Gap of Walayar Hills.

The police have also begun night combing of the forests. The IG, Mr. Alias Louise Ariyal, said they are planning to deploy the Rapid Action Force which is better trained to handle sophisticated weapons.

Police had gathered that the Veerappan gang had moved from the Walayar forests to the Malampzha forest area which has a very difficult terrain. The IG said the entire area had been cordoned so that the gang did not escape through the Kerala areas.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu DGP, Mr. Rajagopal, visited the Madhukkarai area today and gave rewards to the nine-member STF team that opened fire at Veerappan and gang on Friday last at Chemmanthymala.

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