"Operation Jungle Storm-II" to nab Veerappan

"Operation Jungle Storm-II" to nab Veerappan
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, MARCH 21: Soon after the release of Kannada film star Raj Kumar, "Operation Jungle Storm-II" was launched by the Special Task Force of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, assisted by BSF, for nabbing forest brigand Veerappan, Minister of state for Home Vidyasagar Rao informed the Rajya Sabha.

In a written reply, Rao said the combined onslaught ofthe STF and BSF compelled Veerappan to run from his familiar territory to a new area namely Boluvampatti Reserved forests in Coimbatore District and Walayar reserved forests in Palghat district in Kerala.

The gang was sighted on February 2, 2001 upon which a brief encounter took place with the police party, he said adding that unable to withstand police firing, Veerappan and his gang escaped in the forests leaving their belongings.

Maran, who is the Chief of TNLA and a prominent member of Veerappan's gang, was arrested by the STF on February 15 from a place called Seethaivanam in the Boluvampatti reserve forests. A massive man-hunt is on by the STF to nab the remaining fugitives, Rao said.