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Raju Gowda asks Veerappan to set Nagappa free

Fakir Chand in Bangalore

Karnataka Food Processing Minister Raju Gowda on Thursday appealed to forest brigand Veerappan to immediately release Janata Dal, United, leader H Nagappa.

In a one-minute message, being relayed on the local stations of All India Radio in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Gowda has told the outlaw to spell out his demands so that he could take them to the state government.

Addressing the bandit king with salutations in Tamil, Gowda said, "As I am too old to walk into the jungle, I appeal to you to release Nagappa immediately as he is ailing. Nagappa is a good man and my well-wisher. I hope you will heed to my humble prayer and free him."

Veerappan, in his fourth cassette, had asked the government to send Gowda as its emissary to negotiate the release of Nagappa, who is being held hostage for the last 82 days in the Satyamangalam-MM Hills forest range.

The sandalwood smuggler had asked for Gowda in place of Tamil activist Kolathur Mani, who is in Bellary jail, awaiting release on his bail applications.

The Karnataka Special Task Force had arrested Mani for having aided and abetted Veerappan in kidnapping Kannada matinee idol Rajakumar two years ago, including supplying arms and explosives.

H Nagappa Abduction: Complete coverage
The Abduction of Dr Rajakumar
The Hunt for Veerappan

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