The Hindu : National / Elections 2004 : No fear about campaigning in Veerappan country

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 23, 2004

National

National - Elections 2004

No fear about campaigning in Veerappan country

The possibility of an election time strike has not deterred candidates from canvassing support in remote forest areas.

Laiqh A. Khan

HANUR

The election campaign is brisk and hectic in Veerappan country hereabouts in Karnataka. Notwithstanding the perceived likelihood of an election-time strike by the forest brigand, candidates and their supporters are canvassing actively even in the remote forest areas.

Even hamlets deep inside do not reveal any overt apprehension about Veerappan. Political parties have set up campaign offices there. Almost all the villages sport posters and buntings.

The walls of houses and shops are awash with posters. Loudspeakers blare from vehicles in village corners, announcing the virtues of the candidates.

Yet, the dusty roads meandering through dry forest shrubbery have a certain eeriness about them. The shadows of the outlaw and his accomplices would seem to be everywhere.

Nevertheless, the motorcades of candidates, for the second phase of elections on April 26, roll on.

At least three Assembly constituencies lying along Karnataka's border with Tamil Nadu comprise vast tracts of forests, where Veerappan and his associates have been operating with virtual impunity for more than three decades now.

The Assembly constituencies of Chamarajanagar, Kollegal and Hanur have seen them massacre people in cold blood, spirit away sandalwood trees and kill elephants for their ivory.

Some of the worst of Veerappan's crimes have taken place within the limits of the Hanur Assembly constituency. These include the Palar blasts which killed more than 20 policemen; the Meenyam massacre which claimed the lives of Superintendent of Police, T.Harikrishna, and Sub-Inspector, Shakeel Ahmed; and the raid on the Ramapura police station. The latest in the tally has been the abduction and murder of former Minister H. Nagappa from his home in Kamagere in August 2002.

Many people here, and the candidates themselves, do not seem to expect the lately weakened Veerappan to emerge from his hideout and strike at this time, but the authorities are wary. The fact that four accomplices of Veerappan involved in the Palar blasts case have been given the death sentence and are awaiting execution in Karnataka adds to the worry.

But, the postponement of their execution, originally scheduled for April 16, pending a clemency petition before the President, has served to dilute the threat perception. Unwilling to take any chances, the police have been providing armed escort to all candidates venturing into the forest areas.

The security cover for the Janata Dal (S) candidate in Hanur and Nagappa's widow, Parimala Nagappa, and for the Congress candidate in Kollegal, G.N. Nanjundaswamy, has been upgraded to `Y' category. A police party, comprising gunmen and personal security officers, accompany them. "Without any discrimination we offer security to any candidate whenever he or she wishes to visit the forest areas," a senior police officer said.

The officer added, dismissing any threat from Veeappan: "Campaigning has been going on smoothly throughout the area. Candidates and their supporters are moving around freely in every nook and corner."

However, the Special Task Force (STF), charged with nabbing Veerappan, is on heightened alert. Though little intelligence is available on the whereabouts of the bandit, 10 platoons of the force, comprising 300 personnel, have been combing the area on the Karnataka side of the border.

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