Indian troops search forests for elusive bandit

Hundreds of soldiers were tramping through dense tropical forests in southern India today, hunting an elusive bandit who kidnapped a former state minister.

Armed with assault rifles, more than 500 soldiers were combing a vast swath of the Satyamangalam forest that straddles the states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to track down Veerappan.

The bandit, who uses only one name, has eluded the law for nearly 30 years, protected by villagers who see him as a Robin Hood-type figure and politicians who profit from his smuggling.

He is accused of killing 130 policemen, slaughtering 2,000 elephants and smuggling millions of pounds worth of sandalwood and ivory.

His gang also kidnaps prominent people for ransom.

Two years ago, Veerappan kidnapped film star Rajkumar and held him hostage. He released the actor unharmed after 108 days amid unconfirmed reports that a ransom had been paid.

On Sunday, Veerappan and his men abducted a former Karnataka minister, H Nagappa, and then escaped into the jungle.

In a tape-recorded message sent to the police, the bandit threatened to kill Nagappa if any attempt was made to capture him, police officials in Tamil Nadu said.

A high alert has been issued in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states where Veerappan’s gang operates, and police reinforcements were being deployed today at checkpoints on forest roads in the three states.

Tamil Nadu’s top elected leader, Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalitha, met Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani in New Delhi yesterday and asked for federal help in tracking down the bandit.

Along with SM Krishna, Karnataka’s chief minister, the two state leaders have asked the government for helicopters, remote sensing and communications equipment.

Tamil Nadu has set up a special task force to capture Veerappan, but without success, prompting speculation that the bandit was being tipped off by politicians in league with him.

Despite heavy monsoon rains that have hampered the search, police were confident they would nab the bandit this time.

“We are quite capable of handling this. This time we will definitely get Veerappan dead or alive,”

said BP Nailwal, Tamil Nadu’s director general of police.