MYSORE, January 22: Even as the Combined Special Task Force (STF) of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were combing the BR Hills region and keeping a vigil on Male Mahadeshwara Hills expecting the notorious forest brigand Veerappan for "pongal" celebrations, it has now come to light that the brigand paid a quiet visit to Gopinatham, his native village on January 17.According to sources in the forest department, the Brigand visited the tombs of his parents and placed traditional offerings and left behind a letter before disappearing into the forests. Villagers who went to the fields nearby where the tombs are situated came across the inland letter placed atop one of the tombs with a stone to keep it in place on January 18 and brought it to the notice of the local forest personnel.
It is stated that Veerappan has threatened to kill eight persons, known to be informers of the STF, in the letter. This apart, Veerappan is said to have directed a Nataraja Modaliar, with whom he had entered into a contract for fishing
in Cauvery river during 1990, to repay a sum of Rs 25,000 which Veerappan had provided, alongwith interest to the wife of Veerappan's brother Koose Madaiah who has been sentenced to life by a Tamil Nadu court.
Veerappan is also stated to have warned the political personalities of the region whom he had helped win elections before STF had launched its hunt during the late 80s that they would pay dearly with their life for having left those people who had helped them high and dry when the brigand himself was on the run from the law enforcement agencies.
So far, names of two politicians have been linked with the brigand and these are former MLAs Raju Gowda of Karnataka and Natchi Muthu of Tamil Nadu representing the constituencies bordering the brigand's usual lair.
Sources said the names of the three police informers featuring in the letter left behind by Veerappan were Nellur Madaiah, Krishna and Mada.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
