 |
| |
| These
photos throw light on the kind of life Veerapan leads in his
forest hideout...» |
| |
|
|
In Veerappan country
It is easy to be lulled by the forest’s relative calm while
taking the morning bus from Male Mahedeswaram to Gopinatham Village.
But train your ears just a bit: Even the breeze here will trumpet
Veerappan’s terrible name.
Welcome then to Veerappan country… “If the elephants
don’t get you, Veerappan certainly will!” It is a standard
warning local officials will issue, the moment you set foot here
in search of some piece of the action.
In
1991, local forest guards whispered the warning to Deputy Conservator
of Forests
P Srinivas before he went alone and unarmed into the forest to get
Verrappan. He is no
more. In 1992, Special Task Force Chief T Harikrishna muttered the
warning to this reporter. He himself did not heed to it. Today,
he is no more. One hundred and eighteen more people did not heed
to the warning. Even they are no more.
In
warnings, in whispers, in the breeze itself, Veerappan is omnipresent
and omniscient, and yet he is neither seen nor heard!...more
»
|
|
