The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : `Operation Cocoon' details placed before RDO

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

`Operation Cocoon' details placed before RDO

By Our Staff Reporter

DHARMAPURI, NOV. 25. The STF SP, N.K. Senthamaraikannan, who masterminded "Operation Cocoon" in which brigand Veerappan and his three associates were killed at Padi on October 18, deposed before the Dharmapuri RDO today as part of an ongoing enquiry.

After deposing before the RDO, Prakasam, for nearly five hours he told waiting presspersons that all details involved in the operation right from the number of crimes and murders committed by Veerappan, his motive and the list of affected persons were clearly placed before the RDO. The details also included the factors ranging from planning to the execution of the operation.

Mr. Senthamaraikannan said that Veerappan had plans to increase his strength of men and weapons and to kidnap officials from Central and State Government leading to pressure. But his plans were foiled as he was killed in the encounter.

However, he refused to answer questions that pertained to certain doubts that were raised on the death of Veerappan. He said that the brigand had come out from the Pikkili forests near Pennagaram when he was surrounded and killed in an encounter. He said that if Veerappan was caught in the forests the STF would have arrested him.

Mr. Senthamaraikannan said that as many as 38 persons from the STF including four from Karnataka were given summons in the first list to depose before the ongoing RDO enquiry. To a question on whether the STF had committed alleged excesses in the name of combing operations against Veerappan, he said that the STF had not done any harm to tribals and villagers.

He said that the STF had conducted medical camps and distributed various welfare measures for the tribal people. There are possibilities of hidden treasures lying in the forests. After the operation, the STF did not venture into the forests and are waiting for subsequent orders from the Government. The future role of STF would be decided later, he said.

He denied that the STF was involved in burial rights of the brigand and said that the STF never forced the brigand's relatives to cremate the body. He said that the STF had done the right thing and had no objection to another post-mortem if the court allowed it.

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