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by Jay Shankar

KOLLEGAL, India, Sept 11 (AFP) - Relatives of a former state minister who is being held captive by India's most-wanted bandit said Wednesday they fear he will be killed because he is neither a movie star nor connected to powerful politicians.

Hannur Nagappa was kidnapped more than two weeks ago by Koose Muiswamy Veerappan from Kollegal town in the southern Karnataka state.

Veerappan has threatened to behead him and, despite a huge rescue operation, Nagappa has not been found.

The bandit shot to world notoriety in July 2000 when he kidnapped a movie star, Rajkumar, and held him for 108 days before releasing him.

"Rajkumar is a famous actor and has a large following in Karnataka," Satish Mahanth, Nagappa's son-in-law told AFP.

"The government did its best to ensure the safety of Rajkumar but we find that this is lacking in our case."

Supporters of Rajkumar, who has acted in more than 200 movies, took to the streets in protest at the kidnapping, paralysing Karnataka's capital, the technology and aviation hub of Bangalore.

The chief minister of neighbouring Tamil Nadu, where Veerappan is believed to be hiding, has alleged the Karnataka government had paid 300 million rupees (6.1 million dollars) for Rajkumar's release. The Karnataka government denies the charge.

Nagappa, 66, a diabetic, belongs to the centrist Janata Dal (People's Party) which ruled Karnataka state for five years until 1999. India's main opposition Congress party is now in power in the state.

"Nagappa is not an elected member now," said Preethan Nagappa, the son of the former minister who was dragged out of the house by the bandit's gang on August 25.

"He is away from the centre of power and now belongs to the opposition party. That is working against us," he said.

"This must not make any difference. Whether you are a movie star or hail from a certain section of the society, safety of the hostage must be the primary aim in any such crisis," son-in-law Mahanth added.

Mahanth said the government was not keeping the family abreast of its decisions.

The Karnataka government has told a special task force (STF) set up jointly with Tamil Nadu to track down Veerappan 12 years ago, to step up its operations.

The STF has been assisted by paramilitaries, commandos and police in combing a 7,000 square kilometre (2,800 square miles) jungle area in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

But the family is worried this will endanger Nagappa's life. They instead want to negotiate his release with Veerappan.

"The government is going on a totally opposite direction. Negotiations are the only way to get Nagappa released safely," Mahanth said.

"The family has a right to know what is the government's strategy. They have not in any way communicated this to us," Preetham Nagappa said.

"There are at least five villagers here who have approached us and said they can try and make a contact with Veerappan to start negotiations. But the government is not interested and has given the go ahead to police operations," he said.

Mahanth also slammed the Karnataka government for not providing enough security to Nagappa.

"The single security guard who was there at the house locked himself inside a room when the abduction happened. He had a single barrel gun," Mahanth said.

In a cassette sent to the government, Veerappan ridiculed police who were in charge of Nagappa's security.

"Security people are stupid. I do not know whether security was protecting Nagappa or Nagappa was protecting his security," Veerappan said in the 30-minute tape which was played by Nagappa's family to journalists.

"All security forces think they can capture me. They can do nothing. Even on the day of the kidnap I was around Kollegal and I watched all the movements of your police. They could not see me I was watching them."

Veerappan, 51, told the government to stop police operations and named two Tamil nationalist leaders as negotiators. The Karnataka government has dismissed the demand.

"There should be no police operation," Veerappan said in the tape.

"Security played various games with me after Rajkumar was released... at one point of time they claimed I have been caught. I am fully secure. Your police dogs cannot catch me." 

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Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
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