The Hindu : Front Page : Veerappan buried after wrangling

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 21, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Veerappan buried after wrangling

By R. Ilangovan

METTUR, OCT. 20. After a tense 10-hour drama marked by protests and confusion at the burial ground, the body of the forest brigand Veerappan was laid to rest on the banks of the Cauvery in Moolakkadu village, 15 km from here, this morning.

A little before dawn, Veerappan's body, wrapped in white shroud, was lowered into the grave, not far from the mountain ranges where he ruled. His elder brother, Mathaiyan, who was brought on parole from Coimbatore, where he is serving a life sentence, sprinkled a handful of sand and flower petals into the pit, which was closed in 15 minutes. Thus ended the fiery life of a brigand who defied the might of two State Governments and their police forces for over two decades.

Veerappan's wife Muthulakshmi, their two daughters, and a few close relatives had remained at the site since Tuesday night. Those who were present at the burial included the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam founder-leader, T.S.S. Mani, Professor Kalyani and a Chennai-based lawyer, Chandrasekaran. A group of youth sporting white shirts and white trousers was seen at the site standing in silence.

After the burial, Muthulakshmi said that the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force was harassing her. She claimed she was facing threats to her life. She wanted the Government to take care of her children's education.

Last rites

As per their tradition, Veerappan's family members had planned to cremate his body on Tuesday night. Prior to that, certain rites had to be performed in the house of Mathaiyan at Karumalaikoodal near here. But the police refused to oblige them, fearing that any delay in disposing of the body would create a law and order situation. People in large numbers had gathered at Mettur ahead of the arrival of the body.

Muthulakshmi, who had accompanied the body from Dharmapuri yesterday in an ambulance, accused the police of threatening them. She attempted to jump out of the moving ambulance at Mettur.

Accusations

But the convoy was driven straight to the burial site. When the police, with the aid of a few hand torches, were preparing the ground for the cremation, Muthulakshmi accused them of intimidating her to hurry up the cremation. She claimed that she was prevented from performing the last rites.

Meanwhile, Mani and Chandrasekaran arrived and joined issue with the police. They insisted that the last rites should be performed by the family and that the police had no role in it. They said the cremation should not be carried out until Veerappan's daughters — Vidya Rani who had to be brought from Coimbatore and Prabha who had to come from Cuddalore — arrived.

As the situation threatened to turn ugly, the police postponed the final ritual to this morning.

But Veerappan's relatives insisted that a body that had been brought to the burial ground should not be taken back to the house. Mathaiyan, who arrived amidst tight security late in the night, declared, after consulting Mani, that since the necessary rites could not be performed, the body could only be buried. Muthulakshmi and the relatives endorsed it. Thus the body remained at the burial ground overnight.

Family sources said that they did not want to take the body to Gopinatham village, as most of Veerappan's relatives had left it long ago fearing action against them by the STF. ``We have settled in Mettur and its surrounding villages,'' said a relative. A few months ago, Mathaiyan's son, who died in a road accident, was cremated at Moolakkadu. Veerappan was ``attached to him."

Hence, according to family sources, the village now holds a sentimental significance to them.

Amidst tight security, the body of `Sethukuzhi' Govindan, Veerappan's aide, was cremated at Govindapadi village on Tuesday night, a few kilometres from Moolakkadu.

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

Front Page

News Update

Stories in this Section

FDI cap in domestic airlines raised to 49%

Decision consistent with policy: Left

`People did not reject BJP'

Veerappan buried after wrangling

"It was our turn to deceive Veerappan"

Gay-theme novel bags Booker

Daunting task ahead of India

Naxals retreat