Can one man make a difference to his
contemporaries? The history says an emphatic yes. In the contemporary times
comes Koose Munisamy Veerappan who is such a man at least on a regional scale. After all Veerappan
was a single man who neither had money, nor education nor an influential family
whose reputation he can rely on, nor an organization to lean on for support.
Yet, there he was, looming larger than life in
not one but two states of India; Tamilnadu & Karnataka. The battle to nab
this man cost the governments of Karnataka & Tamilnadu some Rs 100 crores.
And the respective CM’s of Karnataka and Tamilnadu who were more concerned at that time (Jayalalitha,
SM Krishna & Veerappa Moily) had a
hell of a time stopping his activities. That both the states had to form STF’s
(Special task Force) for just the sake of catching one man proves his menace
and power.
Verappan was born into a Tamil Vanniyar family
at Gopinatham in Karnataka in 1952. He got married to Muthulakshmi in 1990. Now
the political party Pattadi Makkal Katchi or the PMK represents the Vanniyar
caste in Tamilnadu.
Despite not having any backing from any side,
he did have a mentor in his uncle Sevi Gounder whom he assisted in poaching and
sandalwood smuggling. After learning the trade he broke away from his uncle and
set out on his own.
Over the next 25 years Veerappan and his gang
killed 500 elephants for ivory. He was first arrested in 1972. He committed his
first murder at the age of 17 and started killing those who resisted his
illegal activities. Most who killed were forest officials and informants. He
did not kill any unrelated people to his trade and he was hugely popular in his
community and in the area.
July 1987- Veerappan kidnapped and lynched a
Forest Officer named Chidambaram who hailed from Tamilnadu.
Jan 1989- 5 members of a rival gang were
kidnapped and killed.
Aug 1989-3 forest personnel of Tamilnadu were
killed. Their mutilated bodies were recovered 19 days later.
Jan 1990-Following the Tamilnadu police
attacking his gang and gunning down 2 members, a Sub Inspector & a Head
Constable of Tamilnadu Police were shot by the Veerappan gang.
Apr 1990- Veerappan ambushed and killed 3 Sub
Inspectors and 1 constable. One of the SI’s killed Dinesh was hot on Veerappans
trail.
May 1990-A Special Task Force (STF) has been
constituted by the Karnataka Government to nab Veerappan. Perhaps it is the
only time in Indian history where an STF had been formed to nab a single
individual.
Nov 1990-Shot and beheaded Dy Conservator of
Forests R.Srinivas as Veerappan suspected that his sister Mari (Mariyamma) died
because of Srinivas. Srinivas’s head was found only 3 years later.
Feb 1992-Granite quarry owner’s son kidnapped
and freed on payment of ransom money.
May 1992- Attacked Ramapura Police station in
Karnataka and carried away a cache of arms.
Jun
1992-STF killed 4 of Veerappan’s gang and he sent a note to them saying
“I will finish all of you”.
Aug 1992- Veerappan trapped STF SP Harikrishna
(IPS), SI Ahmed and 4 others, bombed and killed them.
Apr 1993- A bus carrying TN Police Personnel
along with informers was blown up when 22 persons were killed. In this another
SP from Tamilnadu Rambo Gopalakrishnan was critically injured and was disabled
for years.
May 1993- Attacked Karnataka STF SP Gopal Hosur
in Mudumalai Hills and wounded him critically. Hosur had to be hospitalized for
6 months. 6 policemen were killed in the attack.
July 1993- BSF started operations in the forest
to nab Veerappan and caught 19 members of his gang.
Aug 1993-series of encounters in which 3 BSF
men and 18 gang members were killed. He sends an audi cassette seeking amnesty.
Dec 1994-DSP Chidambaranathan & 2 companions
kidnapped. They escaped after 27 days under cover of the STF onslaught.
Veerappan’s brother, Arjunan and 2 gang members
surrender. 3 Forest officials kidanpped in Erode and Rs 5 crore ransom sought. Freed
after paying Rs 3.5 lacs.
Dec 1995-Veerappan attacks Tamilnadu STF in
revenge as his brother Arjunan and a member Rangaswamy died in custody
consuming poison.
Jan 1996- Attackl on Tamilnadu STF SP, Tamilselvan
injuring the SP and killing a constable.
Apr 1997-Bullet ridden body of “Baby Veerappan”
who was to succeed Verappan was found in a forest.
Jul 1997-10 forest personnel kidnapped. One
sent back to Chennai with a surrender offer. Another was released when
Nakkeeran Gopal mediated. The remaining hostages were also freed.
Dec 1998-Verappan attacked the Vellitiruppur
Police station and escaped with 9 guns and ammunition. This reduced the gang
strength and they negotiated for an amnesty with the TN Government.
Apr 1999-3 Forest Officials were kidnapped at
Hogenekkal in Dharmapuri district. Veerappan sent letters and audio cassettes
to the District Collector.
Jul 30, 2000-Kidnapping of Kannada Matinee idol
Rajkumar and 4 others from Doddagajanur guest house. One of the hostages
Nagappa escapes. Rajkumar was held for 108 days in the forest by Veerappan. He demanded
a Rs 1000 crore ranson for Rajkumar. It was said that he was paid Rs 10 crores
by the government to release Rajkumar.
Aug 2002- Former Karnataka minister H Nagappa
kidnapped and body was found after some day.
October 2004-Veerappan was killed in an
encounter. Ultimately some 20 years after both Tamilnadu and Karnataka forming STF's to nab the man, Veerappan was
betrayed by his health more than any policeman despite the Karnataka STF taking the credit. He was only 52 years old
but developed cataracts in both the eyes and had to be operated on. When he
came for the operation, the STF got him.
How di he endure for so long in the jungles defying the Police forces of not one but 2 states? Veerappan knew his forest like the back of his hand and no one could ever catch him in a forest. And, an IPS officer from Karnataka who was in the STF when asked why said that Veerappan despite not undergoing any guerrilla training whatsoever is most perfect and unequalled in guerrilla tactics.
In this connection the person who crippled the
Veerappan gang and reduced its strength drastically was Shankar Mahadev Bidari a 1978 batch IPS officer
who was posted as the Commander of the STF in 1993 and stayed for 3 and half
years. . This fellow got villages sympathetic towards Veerappan burnt down, imprisoned
and tortured his relations and any person who is considered sympathetic towards
Verappan. Even rapes were committed by his men on Veerappan’s sympathizers.
The Karnataka High Court had held the Special Task Force under Bidari’s command was responsible for rape and torture of women. The Karnataka High Court dubbed him to be worse than Saddam Hussein or Gaddafi for his role as the leader of the Task Force that was responsible for fake encounters, gang-rapes and harassment of tribals. He was extremely lucky that this verdict was overturned by the Supreme Court. This man is in fact far worse than Veerappan
Read what Veerappan’s wife had to say about Bidari in the following URL. She did not make such allegations against any other cop which means these have to be true. Otherwise selectively why would she only blame Bidari’s men.
